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EARLYiMETHODISM 


DAVIS ^ 


(jr  ce^ 


WESLEY 


AND 


EARLY  METHODISM; 

AN 

HISTORICAL  TEXT-BOOK 

FOR 
BY 

ANGELA    K.    DAVIS. 


NEW  YORK: 
PHILLIPS     &     HUNT. 

CINCINNATI : 
W  A  L  D  E  N    &    S  T  O  W  E . 

1884. 


Copyright    1884,  ^V 

PHILLIPS    &     HUNT, 

New  York. 


PREFACE  AND  DEDICATION 


npHIS  little  book  is  affectionately  dedi- 
-*-  cated  to  the  members  of  the  Wesley 
Literary  Circle  of  St.  John's  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  Batavia,  'N.  Y.,  with 
whom  I  have  enjoyed  meeting  from  week 
to  week  for  the  purpose  of  studying  the 
Life  of  Wesley,  and  the  Origin  and  Growth 
of  Methodism. 

To  meet  our  wants  from  time  to  time  a 
series  of  questions  and  answers  was  pre- 
pared, culled  from  our  standard  authors, 
which,  with  additions,  is  now  presented  in 
a  more  permanent  form,  with  the  hope  that 
it  may  be  received  ''  with  all  readiness  of 
mind,"  and  with  earnest  purpose  to  search 
"  the  Scriptures  daily,  whether  these  things 
[be]  so."" 

As  it  has  been  possible  in  such  a  small 
compass  to  only  glance  at  the  more  salient 
points  in  the  development  of  Methodism, 


4  PEEFACE   AND    DEDICATION. 

mj  devout  liope  is  that  this  little  text-boolr 
will  be  but  the  beginning  of  study,  a  "  step- 
ping-stone," creating  a  desire  among  the 
members  of  the  "Circle"  to  know  more 
of  the  history  of  the  Church  ;  influencing 
them  to  read  the  works  from  which  it  has 
been  chiefly  compiled,  namely:  Porter's 
"  Compendium  of  Methodism  ; "  Stevens's 
"History of  Methodism;"  Watson's  "Life 
of  Wesley  ;  "  Tyerman's  "  Life  and  Times 
of  Wesley  ; "  Daniels's  "  Illustrated  Histo- 
ry of  Methodism ;  "  Stevens's  "  Women  of 
Methodism ; "  and  Stevens's  "  Centenary  of 
American  Methodism." 

As  you  become  more  and  more  conver- 
sant with  the  polity  and  usages  of  our  par- 
ticular branch  of  the  Church,  may  you 
strive  to  emulate  the  virtues  of  its  founder 
and  his  helpers,  be  made  partakers  of  an 
inward  and  vital  religion,  and  thus  be 
brought  into  closer  and  closer  communion 
with  the  great  Head  of  the  Church. 

Angela  Kirkiiam  Davis. 

Batavia,  N.  Y.,  1883. 


"The  study  of  Methodistic  history  confirms  our  faith 
in  God's  providential  regard  for,  and  rule  over,  our 
world  and  our  race.  To  me  this  lesson  is  as  powerfully 
taught  by  it,  as  by  the  history  of  the  Jewish  nation." — 
Dr.  Thomas  Guard. 


"Our  main  doctrines,  which  include  all  the  rest,  are: 
Repentance,  Faith  and  Holiness.  The  first  we  account, 
as  it  were,  the  porch  of  religion ;  the  next,  the  door ; 
the  third,  religion  itself." — John  Wesley. 


WESLEY 

AND  EAKLY  METHODISM. 


CHAPTER  I. 

1.  Where  and  when  were  John  and  Charles 
Wesley  lorn  f 

In  Ep worth,  Lincolnshire,  England.  John 
in  1703,  and  Charles,  the  j)oet,  in  ITOS. 

2.  What  is  Icnown  of  the  Wesleys''  ances- 
tors f 

They  were  of  the  highest  respectability, 
in  the  south  of  England,  and  can  be  traced 
as  far  back  as  the  fourteenth  century  ;  find- 
ing in  almost  every  generation  an  eminent 
clergjnnan  and  scholar. 

3.  Who  were  their  parents  f 

Their  father  was  the  Rev.  Samuel  "Wes- 
ley, rector  of  Epworth  and  Wroot  about 
forty  years,  a  man  of  great  practical  piety, 


O  WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM. 

and  distingnislied  for  the  zcul  and  fidelity 
witli  which  he  discharged  his  parish  duties. 
He  died  in  1735,  aged  seventy-two  years. 
Their  mother,  Mrs.  Susanna  Wesley,  daugh- 
ter of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Annesley,  was  educated 
with  great  care,  being  well  versed  in  the 
Latin,  Greek,  and  French  languages ;  a  wom- 
an of  extraordinary  worth,  and  distinguished 
for  her  rare  intellectual  piety  and  domestic 
management.  She  died  in  London,  in  1742, 
aged  seventy-eight  years. 

4.  Give  some  jparticulars  of  the  Wesley 
family. 

Eev.  Samuel  Wesley  and  Susanna  Annes- 
ley were  married  in  1689,  he  being  twenty- 
seven  and  she  about  twenty  years  old. 
They  had  nineteen  children,  though  only 
ten  survived  their  infancy,  three  sons  and 
seven  daughters  growing  to  maturity.  They 
all  possessed  unusual  talents,  and  all  of  the 
sons  became  ministers  of  the  Established 
Church.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says:  "This 
great  family  of  little  children  were  won- 
derfully gentle  and  polite,  not  only  to  their 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  9 

parents  and  visitors,  but  to  each  other  and 
their  servants  as  well,  and  they  had  tlie 
common  fame  of  being  the  most  loving 
family  in  Lincolnshire." 

5.  Give  some  details  of  their  elementary 
education. 

Each  child  was  taught  the  Lord's  Prayer 
as  soon  as  it  could  speak,  and  repeated  it 
every  morning  and  evening.  It  was  Mrs. 
Wesley's  custom  to  begin  their  secular  ed- 
ucation at  five  years  old,  and  from  this 
time  they  studied  regularly  in  the  family 
school.  They  were  taught  the  letters  of 
the  alphabet  in  one  day,  a  task  which  all  of 
them  accomplished  except  two  daughters, 
who  were  a  day  and  a  half.  One  of  the 
daughters  was  able  to  read  the  ITew  Testa- 
ment in  Greek  v»dien  she  was  eight  years 
old.  Six  hours  a  day  were  spent  in  school, 
it  being  opened  and  closed  with  singing  a 
psalm  ;  and  in  addition  to  this,  after  school, 
the  oldest  took  the  youngest  that  could 
speak,  and  the  second  the  next,  to  whom 
they  read  the  psalm  for  the  day  and  a  chap- 


10  WESLEY   AND   EARLY    METHODISM. 

ter  in  tlie  'New  Testament.  Mrs.  Wesley  her- 
self also  conversed  each  evening  with  one 
of  her  cliildren  on  religious  subjects,  and 
on  some  evenings  with  two,  so  as  to  talk 
with  each  one  once  a  week.  Notwithstand- 
ing their  poverty  and  other  depressing  cir- 
cumstances, she  kept  herself  so  far  in  ad- 
vance of  her  college-bred  sons,  especially  in 
things  pertaining  to  the  word  and  king- 
dom of  God,  that  for  years  she  was  their  ac- 
knowledged sj^iritual  counselor  and  guide. 
Among  other  helpful  things  she  wrote  for 
them  some  most  admirable  expositions  of 
Scripture  and  of  portions  of  the  Connnon 
Prayer.*  John  Wesley,  "  who  became  dis- 
tinguished for  his  almost  inimitable  skill  as 
a  logician,  who  could  win  a  victory  in  a  de- 
bate with  fewer  words  and  in  better  tem- 
per than  any  other  man  of  liis  time,  must 
have  inherited  this  logical  power  and  this 
amiable  sharpness  from  his  admirable  moth- 
er."   The  Epworth  rectory  presents  the  pict- 

*  For  a  very  interesting  account  of  Mrs.  Susanna  Wes- 
ley, see  "  The  Women  of  Methodism,"  by  Dr.  A.  Stevens. 


WESLEY   AND   EAKLY   METHODISM.       11 

ure  of  a  domestic  Cliurcb,  a  family  school, 
and  a  genuine  old  English  household. 

6.  What  reinarhahle  incident  occwrred  in 
John  Wesley^s  life  at  six  years  of  age  f 

In  consequence  of  some  political  disturb- 
ance, the  rectory  was  set  on  fire  in  the 
dead  of  a  winter's  night.  The  father  was 
awakened  by  the  fire  coming  into  his  cham- 
ber, through  the  thatched  roof,  and  hastily 
arousing  his  family,  they  fled  down  stairs, 
and  with  great  difiiculty  escaped  with  their 
lives.  But  little  John  was  missing.  The 
frantic  father  tried  several  times  to  pass  up 
the  stairs  to  rescue  him,  but  in  vain.  He 
returned  in  despair,  and  kneeling  down, 
committed  the  soul  of  his  child  to  God, 
when  suddenly  he  appeared,  crying  for  help, 
at  the  window  of  his  chamber,  beneath 
which  two  peasants  placed  themselves,  one 
on  the  shoulders  of  the  other,  and  saved 
him,  the  moment  the  blazing  mass  of  the 
roof  fell  in.  "  Come,  neighbors,"  his  father 
exclaimed,  as  he  received  his  son,  "  let  us 
kneel   down  ;  let  us  give  thanks  to  God  ! 


12      WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

he  lias  given  me  all  my  eiglit  cliildren  ;  let 
the  house  go  ;  I  am  rich  enough." 

7,  Hoio  did  this  affect  John  Wesley^s 
mother  f 

She  felt  as  if  she  ought  to  devote  herself 
with  special  care  to  the  training  of  this 
son.  In  her  private  Journal  these  words 
are  found :  "  I  do  intend  to  be  more  par- 
ticularly careful  of  the  soul  of  this  child, 
that  Thou  hast  so  mercifully  provided  for, 
than  ever  I  have  been ;  that  I  may  do  my 
endeavor  to  instill  into  his  mind  the  prin- 
ciples of  true  religion  and  virtue.  Lord, 
give  me  grace  to  do  it  sincerely  and  pru- 
dently, and  bless  my  attempts  with  good 
success." 

8.  For  what  loas  John  Wesley  remarlcdble 
in  early  childhood  f 

For  his  sober  and  studious  disposition, 
seeming  to  feel  himself  answerable  to  his 
reason  and  his  conscience  for  every  act, 
doing  nothing  without  first  reflecting  on  its 
fitness  and  propriety.  Such  Avas  his  con- 
sistency of  conduct  that  his   father  admit- 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.       13 

ted  him  to  tlie  communion  table  ^vhen  he 
was  only  eight  years  old. 

9.  In  lohat  school  loas  he  ^placed  at  eleven 
years  of  age  f 

He  passed  from  under  the  tutelage  of  his 
accomplished  mother  and  became  a  pupil  at 
the  Charter-House  School,*  London,  under 
that  eminent  scholar.  Dr.  Walker.  Here, 
notwithstanding  he  had  to  suSer  many  hard- 
ships and  privations,  and  endure  wrongs  and 
insults,  he  was  noticed  for  liis  diligence  and 
progress  in  learning.  But  though  he  was 
only  sixteen  years  of  age  when  he  left,  he 
had,  by  his  energy  of  character,  his  uncon- 
querable patience,  and  his  assiduity,  become 
a  favorite  with  the  master  and  acquired  a 
high  position  among  his  fellows. 

*  At  tills  school  forty- two  boys,  as  charity  scholars, 
were  to  be  maintaiued.  The  allowance  from  the  endow- 
ment to  each  scholar  was  forty  pounds  a  year.  It  was 
no  small  piece  of  good  fortune  to  the  Epworth  rector  to 
secure  one  of  these  scholarships  for  his  son  John,  for 
which  they  were  indebted  to  the  friendly  services  of  the 
Duke  of  Buckingham,  at  that  time  Lord  Chamberlain  of 
the  royal  household. 


14         WESLEY    AND   EARLY   METHODISM. 

10.  Did  he  retain  the  religious  traits 
which  had  tnarhed  his  character  from  the 
days  of  infancy  f 

Mr.  Wesley  writes  in  liis  Journal  con- 
cerning this  period  of  his  history :  ''  Out- 
ward restraints  being  removed,  I  was  much 
more  negligent  than  before,  even  of  out- 
ward duties,  and  almost  continually  guilty 
of  outward  sins,  which  I  knew  to  be  such, 
though  they  were  not  scandalous  in  the  eye 
of  the  world.  However,  I  still  read  the 
Scriptures  and  said  my  prayers  morning 
and  evening.  And  what  I  now  hoped  to 
be  saved  by  was,  first,  not  being  so  bad  as 
other  people ;  second,  having  still  a  kindness 
for  religion ;  and,  third,  reading  the  Bible, 
going  to  Church,  and  saying  my  prayers." 

11.  What  happened  to  him  when  he  was 
seventeen  years  of  age  f 

1720.  He  was  admitted  to  Christ  Church, 
Oxford,  one  of  the  noblest  colleges  in  that 
illustrious  seat  of  learning,  and  remained 
there  five  years.  He  was  placed  under  the 
care  of  Dr.  Wigan,  a  gentlemen  of  great 


WESLEY  AND  EAELY   METHODISM.  15 

classical  knowledge,  and  pnrsned  his  studies 
with  much  energy.  The  excellent  use  he 
liad  made  of  his  time  at  the  Charter- House, 
gained  for  liim  a  high  position  at  Oxford, 
and  he  soon  became  quite  famous  for  his 
learning  in  the  classics,  and  especially  for 
his  skill  in  logic. 

12.  IVTiat  does  Mr.  Babcock  say  of  him 
when  he  laas  tv^enty-one  years  old  f 

"  He  was  a  sensible  and  acute  theologian, 
a  young  fellow  of  the  finest  classical  taste,  of 
the  most  liberal  and  manly  sentiments." 
His  perfect  knowledge  of  the  classics  gave  a 
smooth  polish  to  his  wit,  and  an  air  of  su- 
perior elegance  to  all  his  compositions. 

13.  What  did  Mrs.  Wesley  lorite  to  her 
sons  while  they  were  at  Oxford  f 

"  Now,  in  good  earnest,  resolve  to  make 
religion  the  business  of  your  life  ;  for,  after 
all,  that  is  the  one  thing  that,  strictly  speak- 
ing, is  necessary.  All  things  besides  are 
comparatively  little  to  the  purposes  of  life. 
I  heartily  wish  you  would  now  enter  upon 
a  strict  examination  of  yourself,  that  you 


16         WESLUy    AND    EARLY   METHODISM. 

may  know  whether  yoii  have  a  reasonable 
hope  of  salvation  bj  Jesns  Christ.  If  you 
have  it,  the  satisfacion  of  knowing  it  will 
abundantly  reward  your  pains ;  if  you  have 
it  not,  you  will  find  a  more  reasonable  oc- 
casion for  tears  than  can  be  met  with  in  any 
tragedy." 

14.  When  jpiiri^osing  to  tcike  deacoii'S  or- 
ders^ what  did  he  do  f 

He  was  aroused  from  the  religious  care- 
lessness into  which  he  had  fallen  at  college, 
and  applied  himself  diligently  to  the  read- 
ing of  divinity. 

15.  What  hoolcs  now  occii/pied  his  atten- 
tion f 

"  The  Imitation  of  Christ,"  by  Kempis, 
and  Bishop  Taylor's  "  Rules  of  Holy  Liv- 
ing and  Dying,"  among  the  most  spirit- 
ual and  heart-searching  books  of  the  age. 
These  made  a  deep  impression  and  aroused 
his  whole  soul  to  the  subject.  They  seem 
to  have  been  the  first  books  on  practical 
divinity  he  had  read,  and  to  the  day  of  his 
deatli  were  held  in  high  esteem.     If  Kcm- 


WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM.  17 

pis  and  Taylor  were  right,  lie  was  wrong. 
In  liis  extremity,  like  a  true  son,  not  spoiled 
by  a  college  course,  lie  wrote  to  liis  parents, 
stating  bis  difficulties,  and  received  very 
able  and  interesting  responses  from  each  of 
them. 

16.  What  10 as  the  result  of  his  readmg 
Thomas  a  Kemjpis^s  ''^Christian  Pattern  f  " 

To  this  incident  we  are  indebted  for 
Wesley's  long-continued  record  of  the  events 
and  exercises  of  his  daily  life,  as  he  began 
to  take  a  more  exact  account  of  the  man- 
ner wherein  he  spent  his  time,  writing 
down  how  he  employed  every  hour,  thus 
giving  to  the  world  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting works  in  the  English  language. 

17.  What  was  another  and  far  more 
important  result  of  reading  Kenijns  and 
Taylor? 

1725.  An  entire  change  of  life.  He  says 
in  reference  to  Taylor's  "  Holy  Living  and 
Dying  :  "  "  In  reading  several  parts  of  this 
book,  I  was  exceedingly  affected  with  that 
part  in  particular  which  relates  to  jpurity 


18         WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM. 

of  intention.  Instantly  I  resolved  to  dedi- 
cate all  my  life  to  God — all  my  thoughts, 
and  words,  and  actions — being  thorouglily 
convinced  that  there  is  no  inediiiim^  but 
that  every  part  of  my  life  must  either  be  a 
sacrifice  to  God^  or  to  myself  ^  that  is,  in 
effect,  to  the  devil." 

18.  Did  this  seem  to  he  a  turning -j^oint 
in  Weslefs  Ufe  f 

Yes ;  although  it  was  not  until  thirteen 
years  after  this  that  he  received  the  con- 
sciousness of  being  saved  through  faitli  in 
Christ.  But  from  this  time  his  whole  aim 
was  to  serve  God,  and  to  get  safe  to  heaven. 
No  man  could  have  been  more  sincere,  ear- 
nest, devout,  diligent,  and  self-denying  ;  and 
yet,  during  this  long  period,  he  lived  and 
labored  in  a  mist. 


WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM.  19 


CHAPTEE.  11. 

1.  When  was  John  Wesley  ordained  dea- 
con in  the  Estahlished  Church  f 

Having  prepared  himself  with  the  most 
conscientious  care  for  the  ministerial  office, 
he  was  ordained  deacon  on  Sunday,  Sep- 
tember 19,  1T25. 

2.  What  noted  infidel  was  contempora- 
neous with  Wesley  f 

It  is  rather  a  remarkable  circumstance 
that  just  about  the  time  of  Wesley's 
ordination  Yoltaire  was  expelled  from 
France,  and  fled  to  England ;  and  during 
a  long  life  he  and  Wesley  were  contempo- 
raneous. 

3.  Give  Tyermans  graphic  descrijption 
in  the  ''''Life  and  Times  of  Wesley ^^  of  the 
two  men. 

''Perhaps  of  all  the  men  then  living 
none  exercised  so  great  an  influence  as  the 


20         WESLEY   AND   EARLY   METHODISM. 

restless  philosopher,  and  the  unwearied 
minister  of  Christ.  'No  men,  however, 
could  be  more  dissimilar.  Wesley,  in  per- 
son, was  beautiful ;  Yoltaire  was  of  a  physi- 
ognomy so  strange,  and  lighted  up  with  fire 
so  half -hellish  and  half -heavenly,  that  it  was 
hard  to  say  whether  it  was  the  face  of  a 
satyr  or  a  man.  Wesley's  heart  was  filled 
with  a  world-wide  benevolence ;  Yoltaire, 
though  of  a  gigantic  mind,  scarcely  had  a 
heart  at  all — an  incarnation  of  avaricious 
meanness,  and  a  victim  to  petty  passions. 
Wesley  was  the  friend  of  all  and  the  enemy 
of  none  ;  Yoltaire  was  too  selfish  to  love, 
and  when  forced  to  pay  the  scanty  and  ill- 
tempered  homage,  which  he  sometimes  ren- 
dered, it  was  always  offered  at  the  shrine  of 
rank  and  wealth.  Wesley  had  myriads  who 
loved  him ;  Yoltaire  had  numerous  admir- 
ers, but  probably  not  a  friend.  Both  were 
men  of  ceaseless  labor,  and  almost  un equaled 
authoi's;  but  while  the  one  filled  the  land 
with  blessings,  the  other,  by  his  sneering  and 
mendacious  attacks  against   revealed  relig- 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM.  21 

ion,  inflicted  a  greater  curse  than  has  been 
inflicted  by  the  writings  of  any  other  au- 
tlior  either  before  or  since.  Tlie  evangelist 
is  now  esteemed  by  all  whose  good  opin- 
ions are  worth  having  ;  the  philosopher  is 
only  remembered  to  be  branded  with  well- 
merited  reproach  and  shame." 

4.  W/iere  did  Wesley  jjreack  his  first 
sermon  f 

In  a  small'  village,  called  South  Leigh, 
in  1726.  Forty-six  years  afterward  he 
preached  in  the  same  place,  when  there  was 
one  man  present  who  had  been  a  member 
of  his  first  congregation. 

5.  What  did  he  succeed  in  obtaining  in 
1726? 

One  of  the  twelve  fellowships  of  Lincoln 
College,  one  of  the  smallest,  poorest,  and 
most  scholarly  of  the  nineteen  colleges 
which  are  comprised  in  the  University  of 
Oxford.  This  permitted  him  to  devote  his 
life  to  the  duties  of  a  Christian  minister 
and  scholar.  The  room  occupied  by  him 
is  still  called  Wesley's  room,  and  a  vine 


22         WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM. 

creeping  around  its  window  is  called  Wes- 
ley's vine. 

6.  WJiat  degree  did  he  tOyJce  in  1727  ? 
That  of  Master  of  Arts,  having  already 

been  chosen  as  "  Lecturer  in  Greek,  and 
Moderator  of  the  Classes."  His  position  as 
Greek  lecturer  attracted  to  him  persons 
who,  like  himself,  read  the  Greek  Testa- 
ment for  devotion,  as  well  as  a  number  of 
private  pupils,  who  sought  his  assistance. 
In  Hebrew  he  was  one  of  the  best  scholars 
of  his  time.  It  is  evident  AYesley  was  a 
distinguished  scholar  at  Oxford,  and  had 
won  all  these  scholastic  honors  before  he 
was  twenty-five  years  old. 

7.  What  was  his  jplan  of  study  when  he 
was  twenty-foihT  years  old  f 

Mondays  and  Tuesdays  he  devoted  to  the 
Greek  and  Roman  classics,  historians,  and 
poets ;  Wednesdays  to  logic  and  ethics ; 
Thursdays  to  Hebrew  and  Arabic ;  Fridays 
to  metaphysics  and  natural  philosophy ; 
Saturdays  to  oratory  and  poetry,  chiefly 
composing ;  and  Sundays  to  divinity.     In 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  23 

intermediate  hours,  he  perfected  himself  in 
the  French  language ;  sometimes  amused 
himself  with  experiments  in  optics  and  in 
mathematics,  studied  Euclid,  Keil,  and  Sir 
Isaac  Kewton. 

8.  What  was  Ids  manner  of  reading  f 
First,  he  read  an  autlior  regularly  through, 

and  then  transcribed,  in  a  commonplace 
book,  such  passages  as  he  thought  impor- 
tant or  beautiful.  In  this  way  he  greatly 
increased  his  stock  of  knowledge  and  inured 
himself  to  hard  working. 

9.  What  hooks  were  put  into  his  hands 
at  this  time,  and  of  what  tvas  he  con- 
vinced f 

Law's  "  Christian  Perfection,"  and  "  Seri- 
ous Call."  He  was  more  convinced  than 
ever  of  the  absolute  impossibility  of  being 
half  a  Christian,  and  he  determined,  through 
his  grace,  to  be  all  devoted  to  God,  to  give 
him  his  soul,  body,  and  substance.  He  not 
only  read^  but  studied,  the  Bible  as  the  one, 
the  only  standard  of  truth  and  the  only 
model  of  pure  reliction. 


24         WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

10.  Why  did  he  return  to  Lincolnshire 
at  this  time  f 

His  father,  being  advanced  in  years,  invit- 
ed liim  to  become  liis  curate  at  Epworth 
and  Wroote.  He  remained  here  about  two 
years,  dividing  his  time  between  Oxford 
and  Epworth,  and  j)ursuing  his  studies  in 
practical  divinity  with  his  mother. 

11.  When  and  hy  whom  was  he  ordained 
Iciest  in  the  Established  Church? 

In  1728,  by  Bishop  Potter,  of  Oxford,  a 
man  of  great  talent  and  learning,  a  high- 
churchman,  who  maintained  that  episco- 
pacy was  of  divine  institution,  and  yet  one 
wlio  cherished  a  friendly  feeling  toward 
the  first  Methodists,  saying,  concerning 
them,  "  These  gentleman  are  irregular  ;  but 
they  have  done  good ;  and  I  pray  God  to 
bless  them." 

12.  What  advice  did  the  Bishop  give 
Mr.  Wesley,  for  which  he  was  always 
thanlx'fid  f 

That  if  he  wished  to  be  extensively  use- 
ful, he  must  not  spend  his  time  in  contend- 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM.  25 

ing  for  or  against  tilings  of  a  disputable 
nature,  but  in  testifying  against  notorious 
vice,  and  in  promoting  real,  essential  holi- 
ness. 

13.  Did  Mr.  Wesley  remain  long  in 
Epworth  f 

K^o,  lie  returned  to  Oxford,  at  tlie  call 
of  the  rector  of  his  college,  and,  besides 
attending  to  the  duties  of  his  office,  be- 
came tutor  to  various  pupils  placed  under 
his  care  and  labored  assiduously  for  their 
welfare. 

14.  What  remarlcalle  exjpertness  did  he 
acquire  while  in  Lincoln  College? 

1T29.  Presiding  as  moderator  in  the  dis- 
putations, six  of  which  were  held  weekly, 
he  acquired  the  remarkable  expertness  in 
arguing,  and  in  discerning  and  pointing 
outr  well-concealed  and  plausible  fallacies, 
which  distinguished  him  to  the  end  of 
life. 

15.  Upon  his  return  to  Oxford^  ichat  did 
he  find  his  hrother  Charles  doing  f 

In  1729,  standing  vigorously  against  the 


26         WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

tide  of  infidelity  which  was  setting  in  upon 
the  students  on  all  sides. 

16.  What  had  he  organized  while  his 
hrother  was  at  Epioorthf 

Charles  and  a  few  friends  had  organized  a 
"Holy  Club,"  for  mutual  assistance  both  in 
scholarship  and  in  piety.  For  the  improve- 
ment of  their  minds  they  agreed  to  spend 
a  few  evenings  in  the  week  together  in 
reading  the  Greek  Testament,  Greek  and 
Latin  classics,  and,  on  Sunday  evenings, 
divinity.  For  the  improvement  of  their 
souls  they  adopted  a  set  of  rules  for  holy 
living,  including  the  exact  observance  of  all 
the  duties  set  forth  in  the  Prayer  Book  of 
the  English  Church,  fasting  Wednesday  and 
Friday  of  each  week,  and  observing  the 
weekly  sacrament. 

IT.  What  else  did  they  do  hesides  having 
frequent  meetings  for  study  and  devotion- 
al exercises  f 

They  began  a  systematic  visitation  of  the 
poor  and  sick,  devoting  certain  hours  to 
the   instmction   of  children,  and   extended 


WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM.  27 

tlieir  charity  to  the  jjoor  debtors  in  Bo- 
cardo.  * 

18.  ^Vhy  did  their  conduct  attract  atten- 
tion f 

Becanse  religion  was  in  such  a  low  state, 
there  being  little  of  it  in  the  commimitj, 
except  the  form,  and  scarcely  enough  of 
that  to  meet  the  claims  of  municipal  law 
or  the  rules  of  the  University.  The  Church 
of  England,  at  that  time,  like  that  of  La- 
odicea,  though  proud  of  its  traditions,  its 
wealth,  and  its  power,  "was  wretched,  and 
miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked." 
The  masses  were  so  sunk  in .  ignorance  and 
atheism,  that  they  hardly  knew,  or  boldly 
denied,  that  they  had  any  souls  to  save. 
Of  the   prominent   statesmen  of  the  time, 

*  This  Bocardo  was  a  room  in  use,  at  that  time,  as  the 
debtors'  prison  at  Oxford.  It  was  at  this  place  that 
Archbishop  Cranraer  was  led  forth  to  martyrdom,  in 
1656,  after  having  been  taken  np  to  the  top  of  the 
tower  of  St.  Michael's  Church,  adjoining  the  prison, 
to  witness  thft  burning  of  Ridley  atid  Latimer,  in  or- 
der that  the  sight  of  their  sufferings  might  move  him  to 
recant. 


28         WESLEr    AND   EAELY   METHODISM. 

the  greater  part  were  unbelievers  in  any 
form  of  Cliristianitj  and  distinguislied  for 
their  grossness  and  the  immorality  of  their 
lives. 

19.  Were  there  no  faithful  servants  of 
the  Lord  left? 

Yes,  there  were  a  few  noble  and  grand 
exceptions,  both  among  the  clergy  of  the 
Establishment  and  the  ministry  of  the  Non- 
conformist Churches.  But  Rev.  Augus- 
tus Toplady,  a  minister  of  the  Church  of 
England,  who  died  in  1Y78,  said,  in  a 
sermon  not  long  before  his  death :  "  I 
believe  that  no  denomination  of  professing 
Christians,  the  Church  of  Eome  excepted, 
was  so  generally  void  of  the  light  and 
life  of  godliness,  so  generally  destitute  of 
the  doctrine  and  of  the  grace  of  the  Gos- 
pel, as  was  the  Church  of  England,  con- 
sidered as  a  body,  about  fifty  years  ago. 
At  that  period  a  converted  minister  in  the 
Establishment  was  as  great  a  wonder  as  a 
comet." 

20.  Wliat  was  the  spiritual  conditioii  of 


WESLEY    AND    EAELY   METHODISM.  29 

the  Dissenters — that  is,  the  PresbyteTians, 
Independents,  and  Baptists? 

Though  less  conformed  to  this  world, 
they  were  constrained  to  mourn  over  the 
wastes  in  Zion.  Many  of  their  ministers 
were  immoral  and  negligent  of  their  duty, 
spending  their  time  in  sports  and  revels,  or 
in  scrambling  for  the  best- paying  pastorates 
in  their  respective  Churches,  with  much  of 
the  same  S23irit  as  that  which  they  so  bit- 
terly denounced  in  the  clergy  of  the  Estab- 
lished Church. 

21.  ^S'ho  were  raised  up  in  the  midst  of 
this  spiritual  darhness  f 

God  raised  up  a  Bishop — John  Wesley, 
one  of  the  greatest  religious  legislators  of 
history.  A  Preacher — George  Whitelield, 
the  greatest  pulpit  orator  of  the  age,  or 
of  any  age.  A  Poet — Charles  Wesley,  a 
hymnist  whose  supremacy  has  been  but 
doubtfully  disputed  by  a  single  rival.  Three 
men  whose  equals  have  probably  never  been 
seen  in  the  world  at  once  since  the  apos- 
tolic days. 


30         WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

22.  What  luere  the  memlers  of  the  Holy 
Club  called  f 

Methodists,  in  allusion  to  the  exact  and 
methodical  manner  in  which  they  performed 
their  various  engagements. 

23.  How  did  it  affect  them  to  he  called 
Methodists? 

Taking  no  offense  at  any  thing,  and  see- 
ing that  their  new  name  expressed  in  a 
word  exactly  what  they  would  be  in  life 
and  godliness,  they  accepted  it  in  all  cheer- 
fulness, as  their  successors  have  done,  hoping 
never  to  dishonor  it. 

24.  What  is  said  of  this  little  comjpany, 
and  what  truth  did  it  illustrate  f 

It  is  full  of  interest,  being  a  checkered 
page,  showing  the  enmity  of  the  carnal 
mind,  and  illustrating  the  truth  of  the  dec- 
laration, "  All  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ 
Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution  ;"  but  not  more 
fully  than  it  confirms  the  encouraging  an- 
nouncement of  the  Holy  Spirit,  "  He  that 
goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious 
seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  with  rejoic- 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  31 

ing,  bringing  his  sheaves  with  him."  The 
conflict  was  severe,  but  they  succeeded. 
Many  were  benefited  by  their  endeavors, 
and  they  received  a  hundred-fold  in  disci- 
pline for  the  more  difficult  achievements  of 
coming  days.* 

25.  What  parish  teas  offered  Mr.  Wes- 
ley at  this  time^  and  why  did  he  not  ac- 
cept f 

His  father,  now  getting  old,  was  very 
anxious  his  son  should  succeed  him  in  the 
Epworth  rectorship.  But,  as  he  was  the 
master  spirit  of  the  "  Holy  Club,"  his  ab- 
sence from  Oxford  for  a  few  weeks  was 
attended  with  serious  consequences,  which 
compelled  him  to  see  the  importance  of  his 
presence  ;  consequently  his  sense  of  duty  re- 
quired him  to  refuse  his  father's  offer  and 
still  cleave  to  his  pupils  and  the  little  society 
with  which  he  was  surrounded. 

*ror  inlerestino;  details  of  the  "  Holy  Club,"  see  Tyer- 
man's  "  Life  and  Times  of  Johu  Wesley,"  vol.  i. 


32         WESLEY   AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 


CHAPTEE   III. 

1.  What  appointvient  was  offered  Wes- 
leij  in  1735? 

General  Oglethorpe,  whom  Wesley  met 
in  London  about  this  time,  strongly  urged 
him  to  undertake  a  mission  to  the  infant 
colony  of  Georgia. 

2.  In  advising  with  his  mother,  {his  fa- 
ther had  died  hut  a  few  months  hefore^  ivhat 
answer  did  she  give  him,  and  what  was  the 
result  f 

She  answered  in  these  memorable  words : 
"  Had  I  twenty  sons,  I  should  rejoice  that 
they  were  all  so  employed,  though  I  should 
never  see  them  more."  After  mature  de- 
liberation he  concluded  to  accept  the  po- 
sition. 

3.  Under  whose  auspices  did  he  go,  and 
who  accomjpanied  hhn  f 

lie  was  sent  out  by  the  English  "  Society 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  33 

for  tlie  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  For- 
eign Parts,"*  as  a  kind  of  missionary  chap- 
lain, at  a  salary  of  fifty  pounds  a  year.  He 
was  accompanied  by  his  brother  Charles, 
and  two  other  young  men. 

4.  What  of  their  success,  and  how  long 
did  they  remain  in  America  f 

They  were  not  as  successful  as  they  an- 
ticipated, particularly  among  the  Indians, 
and  their  conflicts  and  sufferings  were  great. 
They  only  remained  about  two  years,  and 
returned  to  England. 

5.  What  was  Mr.  Wesley'^s  religious 
experience  at  this  time? 

Anxious  as  he  had  been  to  be  wholly  the 
Lord's,  profound  as  he  was  in  diWnity,  and 
scrupulously  as  he  had  lived  in  all  godliness 
and  honesty,  yet  he  was  ignorant  and  inex- 
perienced in  justiflcation  by  faith  and  .the  re- 
newing of  the  Holy  Gliost.  He  had  worked 
and  suffered  for  salvation,  but  had  not  be- 
lieved with  a  heart  unto  righteousness.     He 

*For  an  interestiug  account  of  tliis  Society,  see  Tyer- 
man,  vol.  i. 

a 


34  AVESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM. 

hoj)ed  that  lie  was  a  Cliristiaii,  but  had  no 
joyful  assurance  of  it,  and,  therefore,  was 
more  of  a  servant  tlian  a  son  of  God,  and 
was  influenced  more  \>j  fear  than  love. 

0.  What  incidents  happened  on  his  voy- 
age to  Georgia  that  revealed  to  Mr.  Wesley 
his  spiritual  condition  f 

The  conduct  of  twenty-six  German  Mo- 
ravians who  were  on  board  the  vessel,  the 
existence  of  fear  in  his  own  heart,  and  the 
exhibition  of  peculiar  graces  in  the  Mora- 
vians, gave  him  much  trouble.  He  partic- 
ularly noticed  their  acts  of  kindness  toward 
the  other  passengers,  giving  continual  proofs 
of  their  humility  by  performing  servile 
offices,  which  none  of  the  English  would 
undertake,  desiring  and  receiving  no  pay. 
If  they  were  ridiculed,  pushed,  struck,  or 
thrown  down,  there  was  no  complaint  made, 
seeming  to  be  delivered  from  the  spirit  of 
pride,  anger,  and  revenge.  An  incident 
liappened  which  showed  that  they  were  also 
delivered  from  the  spirit  of  fear.  On  one 
occasion  the  ship  encountered  a  storm,  the 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  35 

winds  roared,  and  the  sliip  rocked  to  and  fro 
with  the  utmost  violence ;  just  as  the  Mora- 
vians were  beo:innino:  their  evenins^  service, 

CO  O  ' 

as  usual,  singing  a  psalm  of  praise,  the  sea 
broke  over,  split  the  mainsail  in  pieces,  cov- 
ered the  ship,  and  poured  in  between  the 
decks,  as  if  the  great  deep  had  already  swal- 
lowed them  up.  A  great  screaming  began 
among  the  English,  but  the  Germans  calm- 
ly sung  on.  Afterward  Mr.  Wesley  asked 
them  if  they  were  not  afi-aid.  "■  I  thank 
God,  no,"  was  the  reply.  ''  But,"  he  asked, 
"  were  not  your  women  and  children 
afraid  ? "  "  No ;  our  women  and  children 
are  not  afraid  to  die." 

7.  What  facts  indicated  the  remarkaUe 
^oivers  of  mind  possessed  hy  Mr.  Wesley  f 

While  on  shipboard  he  commenced  the 
study  of  the  German  language,  that  he 
might  converse  with  and  preach  to  the  Ger- 
mans, and  when  he  reached  Savannah  he 
found  Frenchmen,  Italians,  and  also  Spanish 
Jews,  to  whom  he  learned  to  preach  in 
their  own  language. 


36         WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

8.  How  does  Mr.  Wesley  state,  in  his 
Journal,  tJie  result  of  his  study  and  olser- 
vation  on  his  own  heart  during  his  ab- 
sence f 

January  8,  1738,  lie  wrote :  "  By  the  most 
infallible  of  proofs,  inward  feeling,  I  ani 
convinced,  1st.  Of  unbelief;  having  no 
such  faith  in  Christ  as  will  prevent  my 
heart  from  being  troubled.  2d.  Of  pride, 
throughout  my  past  life;  inasmuch  as  I 
thought  I  had,  what  I  find  I  have  not. 
3d.  Of  gross  irrecollection ;  inasmuch  as  in 
a  storm  I  cry  to  God  every  moment,  in  a 
calm  not.  4th.  Of  levity  and  luxuriancy  of 
spirit ;  appearing  by  my  speaking  words  not 
tending  to  edify  ;  but  most  by  the  manner 
of  my  speaking  of  my  enemies.  Lord,  save, 
or  I  perish  ! " 

9.  How  did  he  want  to  he  saved? 

"  Save  me,  1st.  By  such  a  faith  as  implies 
peace  in  life  and  death.  2d.  By  such  liu- 
mility  as  may  fill  my  heart  from  this  hour 
forever  with  a  piercing,  uninterrupted  sense 
that  hitlierto  I  have  done  nothing.     3d.  By 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  37 

such  a  recollection  as  may  enable  me  to  cry 
to  thee  every  moment.  4th.  By  steadiness, 
seriousness,  sobriety  of  spirits,  avoiding,  as 
fire,  every  word  that  tendeth  not  to  edify, 
and  never  speaking  of  any  wlio  oppose  me, 
or  sin  against  God,  without  all  my  own  sins 
set  in  array  before  my  face." 

10.  On  ar7'iving  home  from  America^ 
and  reviewing  his  own  religious  life,  in 
comparison  with  that  of  his  German 
friends,  what  did  he  write  again  f 

"  And  now,  it  is  upward  of  two  years 
since  I  left  my  own  country,  to  teach  the 
Georgian  Indians  the  nature  of  Christianity, 
but  I  have  learned  that  I,  who  went  to 
America  to  convert  others,  was  never  con- 
verted myself;  that  I  am  'fallen  short  of 
the  glory  of  God ; '  that  my  whole  heart  is 
'altogether  corrupt  and  abominable;'  that, 
having  the  sentence  of  death  in  my  heart, 
and  having  nothing  in  or  of  myself  to  plead, 
I  have  no  hope  but  that  of  being  justified 
freely  'through  the  redemption  that  is  in 
Jesus ; '  I  have  no  hope  but  that  if  I  seek, 


38         WESLEr    AND    EARLY   METHODISM. 

I  shall  find  the  Christ,  and  ^be  found  in 
him,  not  having  my  own  righteousness,  but 
that  which  is  of  God  by  faith.'  " 

11.  If  it  he  said  he  had  faith,  what  loas 
his  answer? 

"  So  have  the  devils  a  sort  of  faith  ;  but 
still  they  are  strangers  to  the  covenant  of 
promise.  So  the  apostles  had,  even  at  Cana 
in  Galilee,  when  Jesus  first  'manifested 
forth  his  glory ; '  even  then  they,  in  a  sort, 
'  believed  on  Him  ; '  but  they  had  not  then 
'  the  faith  that  overcometh  the  world.'  " 

12.  What  hind  of  faith  did  he  want  f 

"  The  faith  I  want  is  a  sure  trust  and  con- 
fidence in  God  that,  through  the  merits  of 
Christ,  my  sins  are  forgiven,  and  I  recon- 
ciled to  the  favor  of  God.  I  want  that 
faith  which  St.  Paul  reconnnends  to  all 
the  w^orld,  especially  in  his  Epistle  to  the 
Romans :  that  faith  which  enables  every  one 
that  hath  it  to  cry  out,  'I  live  not ;  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me:  and  the  life  which  I 
now  live,  I  live  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  God, 
who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.' 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  39 

I  want  that  faitli  that  frees  from  fear  and 
doubt ;  having  peace  with  God  through 
Christ,  and  rejoicing  in  tlie  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God  ;  having  the  love  of  God  shed 
abroad  in  his  heart,  through  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  is  given  unto  him ;  which  Spirit  it- 
self beareth  witness  with  his  spirit,  that  he 
is  a  child  of  God." 

13.  With  whom  did  Mr.  Wesley  advise 
at  this  time  ? 

With  Count  Zinzendorf,  the  founder  and 
protector  of  the  Moravian  Society,  and  Pe- 
ter Bohler,  another  pious  Moravian. 

14.  What  did  Peter  Bohler  tell  him  ? 
That  true  faith  in  Christ  was  inseparably 

attended  by,  1st,  dominion  over  sin  ;  and, 
2d,  constant  peace,  arising  from  a  sense  of 
forgiveness.  He  also  told  him  that  this 
saving  faitli  in  Christ  is  given  in  a  moment, 
and  that  in  an  instant  a  man  is  turned  from 
sin  and  misery  to  righteousness  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

15.  How  did  these  doctrines  affect  him,  f 
He  was  amazed,  and  said  that  if  this  was 


40         WESLEY   AND    EAELY    METHODISM. 

SO,  it  was  clear  that  he  was  without  true  faith 
in  Christ,  because  he  was  without  its  insep- 
arable fruits.  But  in  searching  the  Script- 
ures he  found  that  both  doctrines  were 
true,  for,  to  his  utter  astonishment,  he  found 
there  were  scarcely  any  instances  of  other 
than  instantaneous  conversions.  He  could 
now  only  cry  out,  "  Lord,  help  thou  my  un- 
belief.'' He  was  now  thoroughly  convinced 
and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  resolved  to  seek 
this  faith  unto  the  end. 

16.  Why  was  it  dijjicult  for  him  to  yields 
and  what  sentiment,  generally  discarded  hy 
the  Church,  gave  him  troiible  f 

His  mental  structure,  education,  and  relig- 
ious notions  made  it  difficult  to  come  to  the 
point  of  de2)ending  on  nothing  but  Christ, 
and  on  him  now,  for  salvation,  as  instanta- 
neous conversion  was  generally  discarded  by 
the  Established  Cliurcli. 

IT.  What  did  he  thirik  of  doing,  and  what 
advice  did  his  friend  Bohler  give  him? 

Wesley  thought  that,  being  without  faith, 
he  ought  to  stop  preaching.     But  Bohler 


WK3LEY    AXD    EAELY    METHODISM.  41 

suid,  ''  By  no  means.  Preacli  faitli  till  you 
have  it ;  and  then,  because  you  have  it,  you 
will  preach  it." 

18.  What  did  Mr.  Wesley  noio  do  f 

He  consecrated  himself  entirely  to  the 
work,  and  by  labors  and  watching  and  tears, 
such  as  alarmed  his  friends,  he  spread  the 
truth  of  what  he  believed  to  be  the  power 
of  God  unto  salvation. 

19.  Give  an  account  of  the  greatest  event 
of  his  history  f 

Thouo^h  he  had  not  vet  realized  the  full- 
ness  of  what  he  was  urging  upon  the  accept- 
ance of  others,  he  was  still  panting  after  it. 
May  21,  1738,  about  five  in  the  morning, 
he  opened  his  Testament  on  tliese  words : 
There  "are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great 
and  precious  promises ;  that  by  these  ye 
might  be  partakers  of  the  divine  nature." 
(2  Peter  i,  4.)  Just  as  he  went  out  he 
opened  it  again,  on  these  words  :  "  Thou  art 
not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God."  In  the 
afternoon  he  was  asked  to  go  to  St.  Paul's 
Cathedral.     The  Anthem,  "  Out  of  the  deep 


42         WESLEY   AND   EARLY   METHODISM. 

have  I  called  unto  tliee,  O  Lord ;  Lord,  hear 
my  voice,"  etc.,  was  full  of  comfort  to  him. 
In  the  evening  he  went  to  one  of  the  social 
religious  assemblies  of  the  Moravians,  where 
one  was  reading  Luther's  Preface  to  the 
Epistle  to  the  Eomans,  in  which  Luther 
teaches  what  faith  is,  and  also  that  faith 
alone  justifies.  "Wesley  says,  "  About  a 
quarter  before  nine,  while  he  was  describing 
the  change  which  God  works  in  the  heart, 
through  faith  in  Christ,  I  felt  my  heart 
strangely  warmed.  I  felt  I  did  trust  in 
Christ,  Christ  alone,  for  salvation ;  and  an 
assurance  was  given  me  that  he  hath  taken 
away  my  sins,  even  mine,  and  saved  me 
from  the  law  of  sin  and  death." 

20.  What  did  he  hegin  to  do  f 

To  pray  with  all  his  might  for  those  who 
had,  in  an  especial  manner,  desj^itefully  used 
and  persecuted  him,  and  testified  023enly  to 
all  there  what  he  then  first  felt  in  his  heart. 

21.  State  the  contrast  'between  his  present 
and  jpast  experience  f 

For  ten  years  he  had  believed  in  Christ, 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM.         43 

but  never  believed  as  he  did  now.  He  had 
been  intensely  pious  ;  but  now  he  possessed 
power  over  himself  and  sin,  which  he  had 
not  possessed  before.  He  had  practiced  re- 
ligion ;  but  now  he  experienced  its  bliss. 
He  had  been  seeking  to  establish  his  own 
righteousness,  instead  of  submitting  to  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  which  is  by  faith. 
He  had  been  as  a  servant  of  God,  and  was 
accepted  of  him,  but  now,  "  the  Spirit  bore 
witness  with  his  spirit,  that  he  was  a  child 
of  God,"  and  there  was  sunshine  in  his  soul. 
After  ten  years  of  earnest  prayer,  rigorous 
fasting,  and  self-sacrificing  piety,  he  was 
now  brought  into  the  blissful  enjoyment  of 
a  conscious  salvation,  and  the  severe  ascetic 
was  turned  into  a  joyful  saint. 

22.  After  this  did  he  have  any  struggles 
with  doiibt  f 

Yes,  he  was  much  buffeted  with  manifold 
temptations,  which  returned  again  and  again. 
But  in  the  midst  of  all  he  kept  waiting 
upon  God  continually,  read  the  New  Tes- 
tament, conquered  temptations,   proceeded 


4:4:         WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM. 

from  "strength  to  strength,"  till  he  conld 
say,  ''  Now,  I  was  always  conqueror."  His 
exj^erience,  nurtured  by  habitual  prayer,  and 
dee]3ened  by  unwearied  exertion  in  the 
cause  of  his  Saviour,  settled  into  that  stead- 
fast faith  ml  solid  peace  which  the  grace 
of  God  perfected  in  him  to  the  close  of  his 
long  and  active  life. 

23.  What  ivas  indisjyenscibh  for  him^  and 
^o/iat  did  this  revelation  of  God  to  his  soul 
enahle  him  to  do  f 

This  was  the  crisis  to  which  God  had  been 
drawing  him  for  years.  It  was  indispensa- 
ble for  him  to  know  the  things  whereof  he 
affirmed.  This  revelation  assured  him  that 
what  he  had  believed  was  the  truth  as  it  is 
in  Jesus,  and  enabled  him  to  declare  it  with 
a  degree  of  confidence  he  had  never  done 
before. 

24.  WJiat  did  it  reveal  to  him,  and  what 
jpower  did  it  give  him  f 

It  revealed  the  nature  and  evidences  of  re- 
ligion with  the  clearness  of  light,  and  gave 
him  the  power  of  patient  endurance  in  well- 


WESLEY    AND    EAKLY    METHODISM.  45 

doing  tliat  was  necessary  to  the  position  lie 
was  to  oceupj. 

25.  What  VKis  the  result  of  this  f 

The  line  between  the  Weslejs  and  other 
clergymen  was  distinctly  drawn,  the  point 
of  attainment  in  religious  experience  dehned, 
and  the  standard  of  genuine  religion  estab- 
lished. Folio wino^  the  instincts  of  their  new 
state,  no  less  than  the  dictates  of  a  sound 
policy,  they,with  other  witnesses  to  the  truth 
of  instantaneous  justification  by  faith,  or- 
ganized tliemselves  into  a  society  for  mutual 
improvement. 

26.  What  does  Mr.  Wesley  say  toith  regard 
to  the  origin  of  Methodism? 

He  refers  it  to  three  distinct  periods. 
He  says :  "  The  first  rise  of  Methodism  was 
in  November,  1729,  when  four  of  us  met 
at  Oxford.  The  second  was  at  Savannah,  in 
April,  1736,  when  twenty  or  thirty  persons 
met  at  my  house.  The  last  was  at  Lon- 
don, May  1,  1738,  when  forty  or  fifty  of  us 
agreed  to  meet  together  every  Wednesday 
evening,  in  order  to  free  conversation,  begun 


46         WESLEY   AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

and  ended  with  singing  and  prayer.  God 
tlien  tliriist  us  out  to  raise. a  holy  people." 
27.  How  has  MetJiodisin  heen  described  f 
As  a  revival  Church  in  its  spirit,  a  mis- 
sionary Church  in  its  organization,  a  resus- 
citation of  the  spiritual  life  and  practical 
aims  of  primitive  Christianity. 


WESLEY  AND   EARLY   METHODISM.       47 


CHAPTEE  TV. 

1.  What  were  the  tvjo  celehrated  sermoiis 
Mr.  Wesley  jpreached  soon  after  his  conver- 
sion f 

He  went  to  Oxford  and  preached  before 
the  University  his  celebrated  sermon  on  the 
text,  "  By  grace  are  ve  saved  through  faith." 
The  same  year  he  pubHshed  another  sermon, 
"  On  God's  Free  Grace,"  in  which  he  gave 
equal  prominence  to  another  great  Bible 
truth,  namely,  that  the  grace  or  love  of  God, 
whence  cometh  our  salvation,  is  free  in  all, 
and  free  for  all. 

2.  In  defense  of  himself  as  a  good  Church- 
man^ %Dhat  did  he  issue  f 

A  pamphlet  of  sixteen  pages,  entitled 
"  The  Doctrine  of  Salvation,  Faith,  and  Good 
"Works ;  extracted  from  the  HomiHes  of  the 
Church  of  England." 


48         WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

3.  WJiCit  did  it  shoio  with  rega/rd  to  the 
doctrine  of  that  Ch  urch  f 

That  the  sinner  is  justified  bj  faith  only ; 
and  yet  this  faith  does  not  exchide  repent- 
ance, hope,  love,  and  fear  of  God ;  but 
shuts  them  out  from  the  office  of  justifying. 
!N"either  does  faith  shut  out  good  works,  nec- 
essary to  be  done  afterward  ;  but  we  are  not 
to  do  them  with  the  intent  of  being  justified 
by  doing  them.  He  further  shows  that  "  jus- 
tification is  the  office  of  God  only — a  bless- 
ing which  we  receive  of  him,  by  his  free 
mercy,  through  the  only  merits  of  his  be- 
loved Son."  He  adds,  "  The  right  and  true 
Christian  faith  is  not  only  to  believe  that 
Holy  Scripture  and  the  articles  of  our  faith 
are  true,  but  also  to  have  a  sure  trust  and 
confidence  to  be  saved  from  everlasting  dam- 
nation by  Christ;  whereof  doth  follow  a 
loving  heart  to  obey  his  commandments. 
He  maintains  further  that,  without  this 
true  saving  faith,  the  works  we  do  can- 
not be  good  and  acceptiible  in  the  sight  of 
God." 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.       49 

4.  To  ivhat  did  the  jyreaching  of  these  doc- 
trines give  hirth  f 

To  the  greatest  revival  of  religion  cliron- 
icled  in  the  history  of  the  Clmrcli  of  Christ. 
From  such  doctrines  AYesley  never  wavered. 
"  They  are  essentially  and  vitally  connected 
with  man's  salvation  both  here  and  here- 
after." 

5.  Whom  did  Mr.  Wesley  visit  cibout  thre^ 
weehs  after  his  conversion  f 

He  spent  about  three  months  with  the 
Moravians,  in  Germany,  to  whom  he  was 
much  indebted ;  while  his  brother  Charles 
contended  earnestly  for  the  faith  among 
formalists  at  home. 

G.  On  his  return  to  London^  what  did  lie 
do? 

"  I  began,"  he  says,  "  to  declare  in  my  own 
country  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation,  preach- 
ing three  tunes,  and  afterward  expounding 
to  a  large  company  in  the  Minories,  the 
next  day  after  my  arrival.  On  Monday  I 
met  with  the  Moravian  Society  at  Fetter 
Lane,  which  had  increased  from  ten  mem- 
4 


50         WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM. 

bers  to  thirty-two  ;  and  on  Tuesday  I  went 
to  the  condemned  felons  in  !N"ewgate,  and 
preached  to  them  a  free  salvation,  and  in 
the  evening  I  went  to  a  society  in  Bear 
Yard,  and  preached  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins." 

7.  How  were  tJie  Wesley s  regarded  at  this 
time  f 

They  were  now  objects  of  especial  atten- 
tion. Before  this  they  had  been  considered 
as  over-righteous,  and  now  they  were  sup- 
2">oscd  to  be  crazy ;  and  the  more  so,  because 
they  professed  to  have  demonstrated  the 
truth  of  their  doctrines  by  a  joyful  experi- 
ence in  their  own  souls. 

8.  IIoio  did  this  affect  them,  and  what  of 
their  success  in  j)reaching  f 

Nothing  moved  them,  and  they  were  suc- 
cessful in  bringing  others  into  the  same  bless- 
ed state.  Their  word  was  accompanied  by 
divine  power.  The  utterance  of  a  few  sim- 
ple trutlis,  whether  from  the  Ih'ljle  or  person- 
al experience,  was  like  lire,  "  and  like  a  ham- 
mer  that    brcaketh    the   rock    to   pieces." 


WESLEY  AND   EARLY    METHODISM.  51 

Professional  men,  full  of  pride  and  conceit, 
became  as  little  cliildren. 

9.  Were  they  allowed  to  preach  in  the 
churches  f 

No.  At  the  close  of  the  year  1738  they 
^ere  almost  uniformly  excluded  from  the 
pulpits  of  the  Established  Church.  They, 
therefore,  preached,  as  tlie  providence  of 
God  opened  the  way,  in  j^risons,  fields,  and 
highways,  thus  attracting  thousands  to  hear 
the  Gospel.  At  first  Mr.  Wesley  hesitated 
at  this  seeming  irregularity,  but  when  he 
came  to  consider  the  example  of  Christ,  and 
that  He  was  exchided  from  the  churches, 
he  says,  "  I  submitted  to  be  yet  more  vile, 
and  proclaimed  in  the  highways  tlie  glad 
tidings  of  salvation." 

10.  ^YheTe  did  he  first  preach  out  of 
doors  f 

From  a  little  eminence  in  a  ground  ad- 
joining the  city  of  Bristol,  to  about  three 
thousand  people,  taking  for  Iiis  text  Isaiah- 
Ixi,  1,  2,  which  was  both  appropriate  and 
striking. 


62  AVESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

11.  W7ie7i  hetvas  questioned  as  to  his  good 
fcdtk  in  holding  outrof-door  services  witJv- 
out  the  consent  of  the  local  clergy^  what  loas 
his  reply  f 

He  replied,  "  Permit  me  to  speak  plainly. 
On  scriptm-al  principles  I  do  not  think  it 
hard  to  justify  whatever  I  do.  God  in  Script- 
ure commands  me,  according  to  mj  power, 
to  instruct  the  ignorant,  reform  the  wicked, 
conhrm  the  virtuous.  Man  forbids  me  to 
do  this  in  another's  parish  ;  that  is,  in  effect,- 
to  do  it  at  all,  seeing  I  have  no  parish  of  my 
own,  nor  probably  ever  shall.  Whom,  then, 
shall  I  hear,  God  or  luan?  *  If  it  be  just  to 
obey  man,  rather  than  God,  judge  you.'  A 
dispensation  of  the  Gospel  is  committed  to 
me  ;  and  woe  is  me  if  I  preach  not  the  Gos- 
pel. Suffer  me  now  to  tell  you  my  jirinci- 
ples  in  this  matter.  I  look  upon  all  the 
world  as  my  parish." 

12.  Why  did  it  seem  that  God  aj^proved 
of  this  method? 

By  the  fruits.     Their  congregations  were 
estimated  at  twenty,  forty,  sometimes  fifty 


WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM.  53 

thousand.  Many  wlio  had  set  all  Laws  at 
defiance,  hnman  and  divine,  and  were  utter- 
ly without  God  in  the  world,  were  pricked 
in  tlieir  hearts,  and,  with  cries  and  tears, 
exclaimed,  in  the  bitterness  of  their  soul, 
"  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  Many  of 
these  were  soon  '  filled  with  peace  and  joy 
in  believing,'  and  evidenced  that  the  work 
was  really  of  God,  by  holy,  happy,  and  un- 
blamable walking  before  Him.  Blasphe- 
mies were  now  turned  to  praise,  and  the 
voice  of  joy  and  gladness  was  found  where 
wickedness  and  misery  reigned  before. 

13.  What  ivas  the  result  of  this  neic  meas- 
ure? 

The  lowest  masses  of  the  neglected  people 
were  thus  invaded  by  the  Gosj^el ;  hundreds 
and  thousands  were  reclaimed  to  virtue  and 
piety;  and  "  Societies  "  were  formed,  in  order 
to  bring  the  numerous  converts  into  rela- 
tions of  Christian  communion  and  discipline. 

14.  With  what  difficulty  did  they  meet, 
and  lohat  did  this  suggest? 

They  could  not  find  a  place  large  enough 


64  WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM. 

to  meet  in  ;  tliis  suggested  tlie  idea  of  build- 
ing a  room  or  a  house  large  enough  to  ac- 
commodate those  who  wished  to  be  present  at 
the  preaching,  as  well  as  at  the  society 
meetings.  The  corner-stone  of  the  first 
Methodist  meeting-house  the  world  ever 
saw  was  laid  in  Bristol,  on  Saturday,  May, 
12,  1739,  with  prayer  and  songs  of  praise. 
It  was  not  dignified  by  the  name  of 
"  church,"  or  even  chapel,  but  was  simply 
called  "  The  Preaching-house."  In  Novem- 
ber, of  the  same  year,  the  "  Foundry,"  in 
London,  was  consecrated. 

15.  Give  an  account  of  the  old  Foundry  ? 

It  was  the  first  Methodist  preaching-house 
in  London.  In  November,  1739,  Mr.  Wes- 
ley was  invited  by  two  gentlemen,  who  were 
strangers  to  him,  to  preach  in  an  unused 
and  dilapidated  building  in  London,  near 
the  Moorfields.  He  accepted  the  invitation, 
and  on  Sunday,  Nov.  11,  he  preaclied,  at 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  to  about  five 
thousand  persons,  and  at  five  o'clock  in  tlie 
evening  there  were  seven  or  eight  thousand 


WESLEV  AND  EARLY  METHODISM.  55 

pi-esent.  The  jDlace  had  been  used  as  a  gov- 
eriuiient  foundry,  for  the  casting  of  cannon, 
but  more  than  twenty  years  before  this  a 
terrible  explosion  had  occurred,  which  blew 
off  the  roof  and  otherwise  injured  the  build- 
ing, killing  and  wounding  a  considerable 
number  of  workmen.  This  accident  led  to 
the  abandonment  of  the  old  foundry,  which 
Mr.  Wesley  purchased,  made  the  necessary 
repairs,  divided  it  into  a  chapel,  (which 
would  accommodate  about  lifteen  hundred 
people.)  preachers'  house,  school  and  band 
room.  A  bell  ^  was  hung  in  a  plain  belfry, 
and  was  rung  every  morning  at  five  o'clock 
for  early  service,  and  every  evening  at  nine 
for  family  worship,  as  well  as  at  sundry  oth- 
er times.  This  was  really  the  cradle  of  Lon- 
don Methodism.     Here   Wesley   began   to 

*A  few  years  ago  the  old  Foundry  bell,  used  in  calling 
the  people  to  the  five  o'clock  preaching,  was  still  in  exist- 
ence, and  was  attached  to  the  school  at  Friar's  Mount, 
London.  The  old  Foundry  pulpit  is  preserved  at  Rich' 
mond,  and  is  used  by  the  Richmond  students  every  week, 
aud  the  old  Foundry  chandelier  is  now  in  use  in  the  chap- 
el at  Bowes,  in  Yorkshire. — Tyerman,  vol.  i,  p.  273. 


Ob         WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM. 

preacli  at  the  close  of  the  year  1739.  H.^ 
constant  theme  was  salvation  by  faith,  pre- 
ceded by  repentance,  and  followed  by  l)oli- 
ness.  The  place  was  rough  and  the  people 
poor ;  but  the  service,  simple,  scriptural, 
beautiful. 

16.  WJiat  is  said  of  the  progress  of  this 
wovli  of  God  f 

It  spread  in  every  direction,  triumphing 
over  the  prejudices  and  opj)osition  of  men 
of  various  ranks  and  conditions;  societies 
v/ere  formed  in  many  places ;  drunkards, 
swearers,  thieves,  adulterers,  were  brought 
from  darkness  unto  light,  and  from  the  pow- 
er of  Satan  unto  God.  Many,  who  had  not 
so  much  as  a  rational  faith,  being  Jews, 
Arians,  Deists,  or  Atheists,  were  made  par- 
takers of  an  inward,  vital  religion,  even 
righteousness,  peace,  and  joy,  in  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

17.  Wliat  extraordinary  circumstances  oc- 
cun^cd,  and  lohat  seenu  to  have  been  the 
design  f 

Tlic  manner  whcrciu  God  wrought  this 


WESLEY    AND    EAKLY    METHODISM.  57 

work  is  as  strange  as  the  work  itself,  and 
equally  remote  from  what  human  wisdom 
would  have  expected.  In  any  particular 
soul  generally,  if  not  always,  it  was  wrought 
in  one  moment,  and  often  these  conversions 
were  attended  with  remarkable  physical  dem- 
onstrations. These  circumstances  seem  to 
have  been  designed  by  God  for  the  further 
manifestation  of  his  work,  to  cause  his 
power  to  be  known,  and  to  awaken  the  atten- 
tion of  a  drowsy  world. 

18.  Were  these  demonstrations  peculiar  to 
the  Methodists  f 

IsTo.  The  great  Methodist  revival  of  re- 
ligion stood  not  alone,  for  God,  in  his  sov- 
ereign mercy,  was  performing  works  quite 
as  great  in  Germany,  America,  and  Scotland. 
In  America,  nnder  Eev.  Jonathan  Edwards, 
in  1729,  where  in  "  many  instances  convic- 
tion of  sin  and  conversion  were  attended 
with  intense  pliysical  excitement."  Scenes 
of  mercy  were  witnessed  in  Scotland  and  in 
Germany  quite  as  striking  as  those  which 
were  occurrino;  in  England  and  in  America, 


68         WESLEY    AJS'D    EAELY    METHODISM. 

exhibiting  the  same  j^hysical  atfections.  It 
is  also  a  signiiicant  fact  that  all  these 
great  revivals  were  begun  by  preaching  the 
same  kind  of  truth,  the  doctrine  of  salvation 
by  simple  faith  in  Christ. 

19.  Tki'ough  wJiom  did  the  Society  in 
London  fall  into  dangerous  errors^  and  to 
what  did  this  lead  f 

1739.  The  Moravians,  with  whom  they 
were  intimately  connected.  The  points  of 
difference  were  ably  discussed,  which  finally 
led  to  the  division  of  the  Society,  and  the 
separation  of  Mr.  Wesley,  as  well  as  eight- 
een or  nineteen  others,  frOm  the  Moravians. 
Wesley  took  down  their  names,  and  met 
them  every  Thursday  evening,  for  spiritual 
advice  and  prayer.  Soon  after  they  met  at 
the  chapel  in  Moorfields,  or  "  The  Foundry," 
Mr.  Wesley  having  the  Society  under  his 
pastoral  care. 

20.  Of  what  did  this  suggest  the  impor- 
tance f 

These  differences,  together  with  the  multi- 
plication of  Societies,  suggested  the  iinpor- 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  59 

tance  of  having  some  definite  bases  of  union  ; 
wliich,  while  it  should  invite  all  serious  per- 
sons to  the  highest  privileges  of  the  Gospel, 
would  authorize  the  pastors  of  the  flock  to 
eject  such  from  their  fellowship  as  should 
prove  themselves  unworthy  of  confidence. 

21.  How  ivas  this  necessity  supplied  f 
1742.  By  the  adoption  of  that  most  excel- 
lent code   in   our  Discipline,  called   "  The 
General  Rules  of  our  United  Societies." 

22.  Give  Mr.  Wesley^s  vietvs  of  a  Ifeth- 
odist,  published  in  a  tract  in  1739. 

He  says  :  ''  A  Methodist  is  one  who  has 
the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  his  heart  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  given  unto  him  ;  one  who 
loves  the  Lord  his  God  with  all  his  heart, 
soul,  mind,  and  strength.  He  rejoices  ever- 
more, prays  without  ceasing,  and  in  every 
thing  gives  thanks.  His  heart  is  full  of 
love  to  all  mankind,  and  is  purified  from 
envy,  malice,  wrath,  and  every  unkind  and 
malign  affection.  His  one  desire  and  the 
one  design  of  his  life  is  not  to  do  his  own 
will,   but  the  will  of  Him  that  sent   him. 


60         WESLEY    AXD    EARLY    ISEETIIODISM. 

He  keeps  not  only  some  or  most  of  God's 
commandments,  but  all,  from  tlie  least  to  the 
greatest.  He  follows  not  tlie  customs  of 
tlie  world  ;  for  vice  does  not  lose  its  nature 
from  its  becomins;  fashionable.  He  fares 
not  sumptuously  every  day.  He  cannot  lay 
up  treasures  upon  earth,  any  more  than  lie 
can  take  fire  into  his  bosom.  He  cannot 
adorn  himself,  on  any  pretense,  with  gold 
or  costly  apparel.  He  cannot  join  in  any 
diversion  that  has  the  least  tendency  to  vice. 
He  cannot  speak  evil  of  his  neighbor,  no 
more  than  he  can  tell  a  lie.  He  cannot 
utter  unkind  or  idle  words.  No  corrupt 
communication  ever  comes  out  of  his  mouth. 
He  does  good  unto  all  men  :  unto  neighbors 
and  strangers,  friends  and  enemies." 


WESLEY    A2!iY>    E^U^LY    METHODISM.  61 


CHAPTER  Y. 

1.  What  OGCurrenGe^  in  1741,  casta  shadow 
over  the  jrrosj^ects  of  the  new  Society  f 

Mr.  Wliiteiield's  departure  from  the  faith. 
His  having  adopted  the  Calvinistic  view  of 
the  atonement  led  to  a  debate,  alienation, 
and,  at  last,  separation. 

2.  To  meet  this  emergency,  what  did  Mr. 
Wesley  do  f 

Printed  a  sermon  on  "Predestination  or 
Free  Grace,"  showing  the  absurdity  of  the 
particular  views  of  the  Calvinists,  which 
gave  offense  and  led  to  the  separation  of  the 
two  parties.  This  was  the  origin  of  the 
Calvinistic  Methodists. 

3.  After  this,  how  did  Mr.  Wesley  and 
Mr.  Whitefield  regard  each  other? 

Although  they  separated,  they  still  loved 
each  otlier,  as  was  shown  by  their  preach- 
ing  in  each   otlier's  chapels,   and   also    by 


62         WESLEY    AXD    EAELY    METHODISM. 

Mr.  Wliitefield  bequeathing  a  mourning 
ring  to  the  brothers,  and  requesting  ^Ir. 
Wesley  to  preach  his  funeral  sermon, 
should  he  die  first,  which  he  did,  and  thus 
gave  full  proof  of  a  profound  love  for  Mr. 
Whitefield. 

4:.  At  this  time  what  necessity  was  to  he 
provided  for^  and  what  was  Mr.  Wesley^ s 
desire  f 

The  work  increased  so  wonderfully — ^there 
was  a  great  demand  for  laborers.  Mr. 
Wesley  desired  that  the  ministers  of  tlie 
Established  Church  should  look  after  those 
who  were  converted;  encourage  them  in 
faith  and  practice,  as  their  spiritual  interest 
required. 

5.  Did  the  clergy  do  this? 

No.  And  so  far  from  encouraging  them, 
they  swelled  the  tide  of  opposition  against 
them,  by  ridiculing  their  religion,  repelling 
them  from  the  Lord's  table,  hindering  rath- 
er than  helping.  The  result  was  that  many 
turned  back  to  the  world  and  plunged  into 
sin. 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  63 

6.  Horn  did  Mr.  Wesley  meet  this  diffi- 
ctdty  f 

Bj  selecting  some  persons  of  deep  piety, 
sound  judgment  in  divine  things,  and  re- 
questing them  to  meet  the  others ;  to  con- 
verse, read,  and  pray  with  them,  as  they 
miglit  be  able. 

7.  Give  the  history  of  Mr,  MaxjielWs 
preaching. 

As  Mr.  Wesley  was  about  to  leave  Lon- 
don, he  appointed  Thomas  Maxfield,  one  of 
the  first  converts  in  Bristol,  to  meet  with 
the .  Foundry  Society  during  his  absence, 
pray  with  them,  and  by  such  means  as  were 
suitable  for  a  layman,  to  encourage  and  ad- 
vise tliem.  Being  fervent  in  spirit,  and 
mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  he  was  insensibly 
led  from  praying  and  exhorting  to  preach- 
ing, his  sermons  being  accompanied  with 
such  power  that  numbers  were  converted. 
Mr.  "Wesley,  being  informed  of  this  irrep:u- 
larity,  hastened  to  London  to  arrest  it.  His 
mother,  on  his  arrival,  seeing  that  something 
troubled  him,  inquired  what  it  was,  to  which 


64         WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM. 

lie  abruptly  replied,  "  Thomas  Maxfield 
lias  turned  preaclier,  I  find."  His  motlicr 
said,  "  John,  take  care  what  you  do  with 
res23ect  to  that  young  man,  for  he  is  as  sure- 
ly called  of  God  to  preach  as  you  are.  Ex- 
amine what  have  been  the  fruits  of  his 
preaching,  and  hear  him  yourself."  The 
Countess  of  Huntingdon  also  wrote :  "  Max- 
field  is  one  of  the  greatest  instances  of  God's 
peculiar  favor  that  I  know.  He  is  my 
astonishment.  The  first  time  I  made  him 
expound  I  expected  little  from  him;  but 
before  he  had  gone  over  one  fifth  of  his  dis- 
course my  attention  was  riveted  and  I  was 
immovable.  His  power  in  prayer  is  also 
very  extraordinary." 

8.  Did  Mr.  Wesley  follow  his  mother'^s 
advice  f 

He  did,  and  was  constrained  to  say,  ''  It 
is  the  Lord  ;  let  him  do  what  seemeth  to 
him  good."  From  that  time  forward  he 
accepted  aid  of  such  laymen  as  he  believed 
God  had  qualified  by  the  Holy  Spirit  for 
such  public  labor.     This  is  the  origin  of  lay 


WESLEY    AJsD    EARLY    METHODISM.  65 

preaching,  to  which  Methodism,  under  God, 
is  so  much  indebted. 

9.  Does  it  still  seem  to  he  necessary  to 
ham  lay  preacliers  f 

JS^ot withstanding  that  the  ministry  is  great- 
ly increased,  the  population  has  increased 
wonderfully,  and  there  are  places  of  ministe- 
rial usefulness  to  be  occupied  that  it  is  not 
in  the  power  of  the  regular  clergy  to  supply. 
It  was  an  element  of  power,  the  influence 
of  which  has  been  steadily  increasing. 
Marvelous  is  the  fact,  that  the  very  Church, 
which  so  branded  Mr.  Wesley  for  such  a  de- 
parture from  Church  order,  realizing  and  ap- 
preciating the  wonderfully  beneficial  results 
of  this  movement,  are  adopting  it.  In  1869 
Dr.  Jackson,  bishop  of  London,  in  his  own 
private  chapel  formally  authorized  eight  lay- 
men to  read  prayers,  and  to  read  and  explain 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  to  conduct  religious 
services  for  the  poor,  in  schools  and  mission 
rooms  and  in  the  open  air,  in  the  London 
diocese,  with  the  understanding  that  their 
labors  will  be  rendered  gratuitously. 
5 


6Q         WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM. 

10.  WJiat  induced  Mr.  Wesley  to  form 
his  followers  into  Societies  f 

This  was  done,  not  because  lie  designed 
to  constitute  a  separate  Church,  but  observ- 
ing, where  they  were  not  thus  formed,  tliey 
soon  relapsed  into  their  former  habits.  lie 
had  been  constrained  to  preach  in  the  high- 
ways, and  other  unconsecrated  places,  by  the 
closing  of  the  churches  against  him  ;  and 
he  felt  compelled  to  allow  pious  laymen  to 
exhort,  and  even  to  preach,  by  the  refusal 
of  the  regular  clergy  to  watch  over  the 
souls  of  inquirers  and  give  them  such  in- 
struction as  they  needed.  A  little  reflection 
also  convinced  him  that  this  was  the  very 
course  pursued  from  the  beginning  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

11.  Give  some  account  of  the  Itinerant 
system. 

The  multiplication  of  Societies  exceeded 
the  increase  of  preachers.  It  thus  became 
necessary  that  the  latter  should  travel  from 
town  to  town,  and  theiice  arose  the  itiner- 
ancy, one  of  the  most  important  features  of 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  07 

the  ministerial  system  of  Methodism.  While 
it  has  its  disadvantages,  it  has  the  advantage 
of  removing  pastors  without  the  friction 
which  frequently  occurs  in  other  Churches, 
and  of  securing  for  pastors  congregations, 
and  for  congregations  pastors,  without  inju- 
rious absence  or  interruption. 

12.  Give  the  origin  of  class-nneetings. 
The  Society  at  Bristol  were  devising 
means  for  the  payment  of  a  debt  incurred 
in  building  their  "Meeting-house."  One 
of  them  suggested  that  every  member 
should  give  a  penny  a  week  until  the  debt 
was  paid.  Another  answered,  "  But  many 
are  poor  and  cannot  afford  to  do  it." 
^•' Then,"  said  the  first,  "put  eleven  of  the 
poorest  with  me,  and  if  they  can  give  any 
thing,  well ;  I  will  call  on  them  weekly,  and 
if  they  can  give  nothing,  I  will  give  for 
tliem  as  well  as  for  myself.  And  each  of 
you  can  call  on  eleven  of  your  neighbors 
weekly,  receive  what  they  give,  and  make 
up  what  is  wanting."  It  was  done.  After 
a  while  some  of  these  collectors  informed 


68         WESLEY   AXD    EARLY    METHODISM. 

Mr.  "Wesley,  "  that  tliej  found  sncli  and 
Bucli  a  one  did  not  live  as  lie  ought."  He 
called  together  all  the  leaders  of  the  classes, 
(as  the  collectors  were  called,)  and  requested 
them  to  make  j^articular  inquiry  with  re- 
gard to  the  behavior  of  those  whom  they  saw 
weekly.  They  did  so,  and  many  disorderly 
walkers  were  detected,  and  thus  the  Society 
was  purged  of  unworthy  members. 

13.  Did  Mr,  Wesley  introduce  this  jjlan 
in  London  f 

1742.  Yes,  about  six  weeks  afterward,  as 
lie  had  long  found  it  difficult  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  all  the  members  personally, 
he  requested  several  earnest  and  sensible 
men  to  meet  him,  to  whom  he  explained  his 
difficulty.  They  all  agreed,  that  to  come  to 
a  sure,  thorough  knowledge  of  each  member, 
there  could  be  no  better  way,  and  thus,  after 
an  existence  of  three  years,  the  Methodist 
Societies  were  divided  into  .classes. 

14.  What  were  the  leaders  required  to  do  ? 
To  see  each  member  of  his  class  once  a 

week ;  to  inquire  after  the  prosperity  of  their 


WESLEY   AND    EARLY   METHODISM.  G9 

sonls ;  to  advise,  reprove,  or  exhort,  as  was 
found  necessary;  to  receive  what  they 
wished  to  give  for  the  relief  of  the  poor ; 
and  to  meet  the  ministers  and  stewards,  as 
at  the  present  time.  At  lirst  the  leaders 
visited  the  members  at  their  own  houses, 
but  as  this  was  found  to  be  inconvenient,  and 
in  some  cases  impracticable,  the  members  of 
each  class  met  together  once  a  week,  and  the 
leader  was  only  required  to  visit  those  who 
might  be  absent. 

15.  What  does  Mr.  Wesley  say  icith  re- 
gard to  the  advantage  of  these  meetings  f 

He  says :  "  It  can  scarce  be  conceived 
what  advantages  have  been  reaped  by  this 
little  prudential  regulation.  Many  now  ex- 
perienced that  Christian  fellowship  of  which 
they  had  not  so  much  as  an  idea  befoi'e. 
They  began  to  bear  one  another's  burdens, 
and  naturally  to  care  for  each  other's  wel- 
fare. Upon  reflection,  I  could  not  but  ob- 
serve, this  is  the  very  thing  which  was  from 
the  beginning  of  Christianity.  As  soon  as 
any  Jews  or  heathen  were  so  convinced  of 


YO         WESLEY    AND    EAKLY   METHODISM. 

tlie  tiTitli  as  to  forsake  sin,  and  seek  tlie 
gospel  of  salvation,  the  first  preachers  im- 
mediately joined  them  together,  took  an  ac- 
count of  their  names,  advised  them  to  watch 
over  each  other,  and  met  these  catechumens, 
as  they  were  called,  apart  from  the  great 
congregation,  that  they  might  instruct,  re- 
buke, exhort,  and  pray  with  and  for  them, 
according  to  their  several  necessities." 

16  How  are  these  meetings  regarded  in 
America  f 

Though  they  are  not  so  strictly  a  test  of 
membership  as  in  England,  they  are  placed, 
by  the  Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  among  the  means  of  grace,  and 
attendance  upon  them  is  sj)ecified  as  a 
Christian  duty, 

17.  What  is  the  usual  order  of  service  in 
these  m^eetings  f 

'*  Opening  with  singing  and  prayer,  some- 
times with  reading  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
The  leader  then  gives  such  general  counsel 
and  exhortation  as  he  deems  suitable,  and 
speaks  to  the  members  of  the  class  severally, 


WESLEY   AND    EARLY  METHODISM.         Tl 

toucliing  their  religious  experience.  Each 
member  is  expected  to  take  part  in  the  exer- 
cise, either  in  the  relation  of  experience  or 
making  such  inquiries,  or  giving  such  coun- 
sel as  may  suit  the  occasion.  Sometimes  a 
special  topic  is  selected,  on  which  the  mem- 
bers converse ;  or  some  duty  is  discussed  in 
an  informal  way.  By  this  Christian  conver- 
sation, and  by  the  variety  and  experience, 
many  a  sorrowful  heart  is  comforted,  many 
a  doubt  is  removed,  and  a  stronger  and  more 
vigorous  type  of  Christian  piety  is  cultiva- 
ted."— Cydojyedia  of  Methodism,  Bishop 
Sim.]?son. 

18.  When  and  where  was  the  first  Method- 
ist watch-night  held  f 

On  the  last  night  of  the  year  1740,  in 
Bristol,  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Wes- 
ley. 

19.  How  is  a  watch-night  conducted  f 
On  the  last  niglit  of  every  year  this  sol- 
emn service  is  held  and  continued  until  a 
little  past  twelve  o'clock.     It  is  usually  com- 
menced by  singing  and   prayer,  after  which 


72  WESLEY   AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

the  time  is  occupied  in  preacliing,  singing, 
exhortation,  and  prayer;  sometimes  the 
Lord's  Supper  is  administered,  and,  not  nn- 
freqnently,  a  part  of  the  evening  is  deroted 
to  love-feast  exercises.  A  httle  before 
twelve  o'clock  all  present  are  invited  to 
kneel  before  God  in  silent  prayer,  and  thus 
remain  until  the  closing  of  the  year,  when 
the  pastor,  in  vocal  prayer,  commends  the 
congregation  to  the  divine  guidance  and 
protection,  and  closes  by  singing,  (usually 
the  covenant  hymn,)  and  the  benediction. 
These  meetings  were  originally  held  almost 
exclusively  by  the  Methodists,  but  they  have 
been  introduced  into  some  of  the  churches 
of  other  denominations. 

20.  W/ie?i  were  lom-feasts  hegun  among 
the  Methodists,  and  how  are  they  conducted  f 

As  early  as  1737  Mr.  Wesley  joined 
with  the  Moravians  in  one  of  their  "  love- 
feasts."  lie  introduced  these  meetings  into 
the  economy  of  Methodism,  making  them 
more  simple,  however,  and  more  thoroughly 
religious.      \vi   them   the   members   of  the 


WESLEY  AND   EARLY    METHODISM.  16 

church  assemble  once  a  quarter,  and  after 
singing,  bread  and  water  are  passed  around, 
of  wliicli  each  member  is  expected  to  par- 
take, as  an  indication  of  fraternal  love  and 
of  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer. 
This  ended,  one  rises  and  testifies  of  the 
goodness  of  God.  Others  follow,  as  oppor- 
tunity is  afforded. 

21.  What  do  %ce  see  in  these  ^eciiVxirities 
of  Methodism  f 

That  they  were  of  providential  origin, 
springing  out  of  the  spiritual  necessities  of 
the  pious  and  perishing  sinners.  There 
seems  to  have  been  no  planning,  no  human 
ingenuity,  no  speculation.  Mr.  Wesley's 
plans  were  the  plans  of  the  Clmrch  of 
England.  He  knew  no  other,  he  wanted  no 
other,  till  the  necessity  appeared,  and  the 
measure  stood  up  before  him  like  a  real 
presence ;  and  then  he  adopted  it  for  the 
sake  of  the  cause,  though  in  doing  so  he 
had  to  depart  from  a  long-cherished  system 
of  operations  to  which  he  had  adhered  with 
undeviating  tenacity. 


74  WESLEY  AND  EAELY  METHODISM. 


CHAPTEE  YL 

1.  Wliat  is  said  of  the  preaching  of  the 
word  at  this  time  hy  Mr.  Wesley  and  his 
helpers  f 

The  preaching  was  attended  with  power. 
It  was  generally  extemporaneous  and  di- 
rectly adapted  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
people,  as  the  sermons  of  the  other  clergy 
were  not.  The  hearers,  even  the  low  and 
despised,  listened  with  astonishment,  and  re- 
garding it  as  a  message  of  God  to  them, 
made  haste  to  '' repent  and  he  converted." 
Several  soldiers  of  the  British  Army,  who 
were  converted,  upon  going  into  Germany, 
began  to  preach  Jesus  to  the  army,  and  great 
was  tlie  power  of  God  that  attended  them. 

2.  Did  this  tjTOwing  cause  meet  with  ojp- 
position  f 

The  same  spirit  that  christened  its  early 


WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM.  75 

friends  "  Methodists"  at  Oxford,  found  sym- 
pathy at  other  places.  The  clergy  used  their 
influence  against  it,  refusing  the  preach- 
ers the  use  of  their  pulpits,  and  otherwise 
treating  them  as  heretics  and  vagabonds. 
Mr.  Wesley  had  been  denied  the  privilege 
of  preaching  in  the  church  at  Ep worth, 
where  his  father  had  been  rector  for  forty 
years,  and  therefore  preached  on  his  father's 
tombstone  to  such  a  congregation  as  Ep- 
worth  had  never  seen.  Sermons  had  been 
preached  denouncing  the  whole  fraternity 
as  a  pestilent  concern,  that  ought  not  to  be 
tolerated. 

3.  WItat  effect  did  the  examijle  of  the 
priests  have  upon  the  rahhlef 

The  new  sect  being  every  where  spoken 
against  by  people  of  rank  and  religion,  the 
rabble  pursued  them  from  place  to  place 
with  sword  in  hand,  and,  but  for  the  protec- 
tion of  Omnipotence,  would  have  hurled 
them  to  oblivion. 

4.  What  happened  in  London  f 

They  were  often  attacked   with  showers 


76         WESLEY    AND    EAKLY    METHODISM. 

of  stones;  and  once  an  attempt  was  made 
to  unroof  the  "  Foundry,"  where  they  were 
assembled.  In  different  places  mobs  were 
summoned  together  by  the  sound  of  the 
horn;  men,  women,  and  children  were 
abused  in  the  most  shocking  manner,  being 
beaten,  stoned,  and  covered  with  mud. 
Their  houses  were  broken  open  by  any 
that  pleased,  and  their  goods  spoiled  or  car- 
ried away. 

5.  Did  this  opposition  retard  the  worhf 
Notwithstanding  all  this,  which  was  ac- 
companied with  every  other  species  of  op- 
position which  learning,  wealth,  prejudice, 
and  power  can  give,  by  the  peculiar  blessing 
of  Heaven,  the  work  advanced  with  accu- 
mulating energy,  acliieving  reforms  among 
the  lower  classes  that  had  been  regarded 
as  utterly  impracticable.  ' 

6.  IIow  did  all  this  affect  Mr.  Wesley  f 
He    calmly   pursued   tlie   path   of  duty, 

praying,  preaching,  visiting  the  sick  and 
dying,  forming  Societies,  building  chapels, 
reading,  writing,  and  publishing. 


WESLEY   AND  EAKLY  METHODISM.  77 

7.  For  the  first  few  years  in  Methodist 
histyry  was  there  any  sjjecial  j[jlan  of  cir- 
cuit loorh  f 

For  several  years  tlie  preachers  traveled 
from  place  to  place,  as  circumstances  seemed 
to  require,  and  as  Mr.  "Wesley  directed  with- 
out any  special  plan.  But  as  tliey  becanie 
more  numerous,  and  the  work  more  exten- 
sive and  complicated,  it  became  necessary  to 
divide  the  country  into  circuits,  to  be  sup- 
plied by  the  different  preachers,  according  to 
rules  that  might  be  adopted  for  that  purpose. 

8.  ^Yllat  did  Jfr.  Wesley  do  to  effect  so 
difficult  a  task  and  secure  the  greatest  jpos- 
sihle  success  f 

Mr.  Wesley  invited  several  clergymen 
and  lay  assistants  to  meet  him  m  London, 
and  to  give  him  "  their  advice  respecting 
the  best  method  of  carrying  on  the  work 
of  God."  And  thus  was  called  together 
the  first  Methodist  Conference. 

9.  Give  an    account  of  this  Conference. 
It  was  held  at  the  "  Foundry,"  in  London, 

commencing    on   Monday,  June  25,   17'i4, 


78         WESLEY    AND   EARLY    METHODISM. 

and  lasted  five  days.  It  consisted  of  six 
ordained  and  four  lay  preachers.  On  Sun- 
day, the  day  before  the  opening  of  Confer- 
ence, besides  the  ordinary  preaching  services, 
a  love-feast  was  held,  and  the  sacrament  was 
administered  to  the  whole  of  the  London 
Society,  now  numbering  between  two  and 
three  thousand  members,  six  clergymen 
being  present.  The  Conference  was  opened 
with  prayer,  asking  God's  guidance  and 
blessing,  followed  by  a  sermon  from  Charles 
Wesley.  Then  the  time  was  spent  in  the 
consideration  of  the  great  doctrinal  and 
practical  questions  involved  in  their  enter- 
prise. The  three  points  discussed  were, 
1.  What  to  teach.  2.  How  to  teach. 
3.  What  to  do ;  or,  how  to  regulate  our  doc- 
trine, discipline,  and  practice.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  conferences,  and  lies  at  the 
foundation  of  that  series  of  annual  meetings 
of  the  preachers  which  has  been  extended 
to  the  present  day. 

10.  What  did  Mr.  Wesley  take  occasion 
to  do,  as  arrangements  were  more  fully 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  79 

settled^  and  preachers  assigned  to  jfarticu- 
lav  fields  of  lahorfor  a  time  f 

To  reason  with  the  established  clergy, 
attributing  most  of  the  persecutions  the 
Societies  were  called  upon  to  endure  to 
ignorance  and  prejudice.  Wishing  to  do  it 
in  a  manner  the  least  offensive,  he  drew  up, 
in  1745,  a  short  statement  of  the  case,  be- 
tween the  clergy  and  the  Methodists. 

11.  What  three  requests  did  Mr,  Wesley 
m^ake  in  this  docvmient  f 

"  1.  That  if  any  thing  material  be  laid  to 
our  charge,  we  may  be  permitted  to  answer 
for  ourselves.  2.  That  you  would  hinder 
your  defendants  from  stirring  up  the  rabble 
against  us,  who  are  certainly  not  the  proper 
judges  in  these  matters ;  and,  3.  That  you 
would  effectually  suppress  and  discounte- 
nance all  riots  and  popular  insurrections, 
which  evidently  strike  at  the  foundation  of 
all  government,  whether  of  Church  or  State." 

12.  What  general  advice  did  Mr.  Wesley 
give  in  talMng  to  his  own  jpeojjle  f 

His  advice  to  them  was  equally  pertinent 


80  WESLEY    AND    EAKLY   METHODISM. 

and  instructive.  lie  says  :  ^'  Tlie  first  gen- 
eral advice  wliicli  one  who  loves  your  souls 
would  earnestly  recommend  to  every  one  of 
you  is,  Consider,  with  deep  and  frequent 
attention,  the  j)eculiar  circumstances  where- 
in you  stand.  One  of  these  is,  that  you  are 
a  new  people.  Your  name  is  new,  (at  least 
as  used  in  a  religious  sense,)  not  heard  of 
till  a  few  years  ago,  eitlier  in  your  own  or 
any  other  nation.  Your  principles  are  new, 
in  this  respect,  that  there  is  no  other  set  of 
people  among  us,  (and  possibly  not  in  the 
Christian  world,)  who  hold  them  all  in  the 
same  degree  and  connection  ;  who  so  stren- 
uously and  continually  insist  on  tlie  absolute 
necessity  of  universal  holiness,  both  in  heart 
and  life,  of  a  peaceful,  joyous  love  of  God, 
of  a  supernatural  evidence  of  things  not  seen, 
of  an  inward  witness  tliat  we  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  and  of  the  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  in  order  to  any  good  thought, 
word,  or  work.  And,  j^erhaps,  there  is  no 
other  set  of  people  who  lay  so  nnicli,  and 
yet  no  more,  stress  than  you  do  ou  rectitude 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  81 

of  opinions,  on  outward  modes  of  worship, 
and  tlie  use  of  those  ordinances  which  yon 
acknowledge  to  be  of  God ;  and  yet  do  not 
condemn  any  man  upon  eartli,  merely  for 
thinking  otherwise  than  you  do,  much  less 
to  imagine  that  God  condemns  him  for  this, 
if  he  be  upright  and  sincere  of  heart." 

13.  Hoio  did  Mr.  Wesley  d^escribe  their 
strictRess  of  life  f 

"  Your  strictness  of  life,  taking  the  \vhole 
of  it  together,  may  likewise  be  accounted 
new.  I  mean  your  making  it  a  rule  to  ab- 
stain from  fashionable  diversions ;  your 
plainness  of  dress ;  your  manner  of  dealing 
in  trade ;  your  exactness  in  observing  the 
Lord's  day;  your  scrupulosity  as  to  things 
that  have  not  paid  custom  ;  your  total  absti- 
nence from  spirituous  liquors,  unless  in  cases 
of  extreme  necessity  ;)  your  rule  not  to  men- 
tion the  fault  of  an  absent  person,  in  partic- 
ular of  ministers,  or  of  those  in  authority, 
may  justly  be  termed  new.  For  we  do  not 
find  any  body  of  people  who  insist  on  all 
these  rules  together." 
6 


82  WESLEY   AND   EARLY    METHODISM. 

14.  In  giving  his  second  admce,  what  did 
Mr.  Wesley  tell  them  not  to  imagine  f 

"  Do  not  imagine  you  can  avoid  giving  of- 
fense. Your  very  name  renders  this  impos- 
sible. And  as  much  offense  as  you  give  by 
your  name,  you  will  give  still  more  by  your 
principles." 

15.  How  would  they  give  offense  to  higots  f 
"  You  v/ill  give  oft'ense  to  the  bigots  for 

opinions,  modes  of  worship,  and  ordinances, 
by  laying  no  more  stress  upon  them  ;  to  the 
bigots  against  them  by  laying  so  much." 

16.  How  to  men  offorni^  and  moral  men^ 
and  men  of  reason  f 

"  To  men  of  form,  by  insisting  so  frequent- 
ly and  strongly  on  the  inward  power  of  relig- 
ion ;  to  moral  men,  (so-called.)  by  declaring 
the  absolute  necessity  of  faith  in  order  to 
acceptance  with  God ;  and  to  men  of  reason, 
by  talking  of  inspiration  and  receiving  the 
Holy  Ghost." 

17.  How  would  they  give  offense  to  sin- 
ners generally  f 

To  drunkards,  Sabbath  breakers,  common 


WESLEY    AND    EAULY    METUODISM.  83 

swearers,  and  otlier  open  sinners,  by  refrain- 
ing from  their  company,  as  well  as  by  that^ 
clisajjj^robation  of  tlieir  beliavior  wliich.  tliey 
would  often  be  obliged  to  express. 

18.  What  must  they  do,  therefore  f 

Either  they  must  consent  to  give  up  their 
principles,  or  their  fond  hope  of  pleasing 
men. 

19  .  Wliat  circumstances  made  their  ])rin- 
eiples  even  inore  offensive  f 

Their  being  united  together  made  them 
more  conspicuous,  placing  them  more  in  the 
eye  of  men ;  and  more  dreadful  to  those  of 
a  fearful  temper ;  and  more  odious  to  men 
of  zeal,  if  their  zeal  be  any  other  than  fer- 
vent love  to  God  and  man. 

20.  Wliat  is  said  of  the  attainments  of 
the  preachers  at  this  time  f 

They  were  not  skilled  beyond  the  first 
principles  of  religion,  and  the  practical  con- 
sequences deducible  from  them  —  repent- 
ance toward  God,  faith  toward  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  fruits  that  follow 
"righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the 


84         WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

Holy  Ghost."  These  were  the  subjects  of 
their  daily  discourses,  and  these  truths  they 
knew  in  power. 

21.  Why  did  it  seem  necessary  to  dwell 
on  these  first  principles  f 

On  account  of  the  low  state  of  religious 
knowledge  among  the  people,  it  was  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  enforce  these  first  prin- 
ciples, and  to  give  them  a  practical  influence 
on  the  heart  and  life,  before  they  were  led 
any  further. 

22.  What  was  the  effect  of  the  limited 
knowledge  of  the  preachers  f 

Under  these  circumstances,  so  far  from 
being  an  inconvenience,  it  was  an  advan- 
tage, as  it  necessarily  confined  them  to 
those  fundamental  points  of  experimental 
and  practical  religion  which  were  best 
adapted  to  the  state  of  the  people.  Their 
artless  but  earnest  ministry  secured  the 
attention  of  the  common  people,  and  it 
was  apparent  that  they  wielded  a  wonderful 
power. 

23.  How  did  the  preacher  often  enforce 


WESLEY  AND  EAELY    METHODISM.  85 

ujpon  his  hearers  the  necessity  of  seehing  hy 
grace  alone  through  a  Redeemer  f 

By  drawing  ?c  picture  of  human  nature  in 
sucli  strong  and  natural  colors,  that  every  one 
who  heard  him  saw  his  own  likeness  in  it, 
and  was  ready  to  say,  "  He  hath  shown  me 
all  that  was  in  my  heart." 

24.  What  is  said  of  the  effect  of  such 
preaching  f 

It  was  surprising ;  the  people  found  them- 
selves, under  every  discourse,  emerging  out 
of  the  thickest  darkness  into  a  region  of 
light ;  realizing  their  own  sinfulness  in  such 
a  manner,  they  felt  as  if  they  were  lost 
forever,  but,  depending  upon  Christ  as  their 
Sa^^our,  light  broke  upon  them,  and  they 
were  led  to  rejoice. 

25.  What  did  Mr.  Wesley  foresee  f 

As  knowledge  increased  among  the  peo- 
ple, it  ought  to  be  increased  in  the  same,  or 
even  in  a  greater,  proportion  among  the 
preachers,  otherwise  they  would  become 
less  useful.  He,  therefore,  began  to  think 
of  a  collection  of  such  books  in  the  English 


86  WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM. 

language  as  miglit  forward  tlieir  improve- 
ment in  treating  of  tlie  various  branches  of 
practical  divinity. 

26.  With  whom  did  Mr.  Wesley  consult 
on  this  stchject  f 

"With  Dr.  Doddridge,  who,  with  great 
courtesy,  furnished  the  list  of  books  desired. 

27.  About  this  time  what  was  inserted  in 
"  The  Minutes  "  of  the  Conference  for  the 
henefit  of  the  ministry  f 

"  Eead  the  most  useful  books,  and  that 
regularly  and  constantly.  Steadily  spend 
all  the  morning  in  this  emj)loy,  or,  at  least, 
fiYQ  hours  in  the  four-and-twenty." 

28.  When  one  said,  he  read  only  the  Bihle^ 
what  was  Mr.  Weslefs  rej}ly  f 

"  Then  you  ought  to  teach  others  to  read 
only  the  Bible,  and,  by  parity  of  reason,  to 
hear  only  the  Bible.  But  if  so,  you  need 
preach  no  more.  This  is  rank  enthusiasm. 
If  you  need  no  other  book  but  the  Bible, 
you  are  got  above  St.  Paul.  lie  wanted 
others,  too.  'Bring  the  books,'  says  he, 
*bnt  especially  tlie  parchments.'  " 


WESLEY    AND   EAELY    METHODISM.  87 

29.  If  they  said  they  had  no  taste  for 
Tcading^  what  was  his  advice  f  and  if  they 
had  no  hooks ^  what  did  he  offer  f 

"  Contract  a  taste  for  reading  by  use,  or 
return  to  your  trade.  I  will  give  each  of 
you,  as  fast  as  you  will  read  tliem,  books  to 
the  value  of  five  pounds.  And  I  desire 
that  the  assistants  would  take  care  that  all 
the  large  Societies  provide  our  works,  or  at 
least  the  Notes,  for  the  use  of  the  preachers." 

30.  Wltat  icas  one  of  Mr.  Weslefs  most 
imjportant  schemes  for  the  promotion  of  re- 
ligious hnowledge  f 

The  compilation  and  publication  of  the 
"  Christian  Library."  It  consisted  of  ex- 
tracts from  and  abridgments  of  the  choicest 
works  of  practical  divinity,  beginning  with 
translations  of  the  Apostolic  Fathers.  He 
began  it  in  1749,  and  continued  through 
fifty  volumes.  The  entire  work  was  re- 
printed in  1825,  in  thirty  octavo  volumes. 

31.  To lyromdefor  the  ediccation  of  chil- 
dren^ ivhat  did  Mr.  Wesley  estahlish  f 

In   1741    Mr.    Wesley    established    the 


88         WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM. 

Kingswood  School,  for  the  complete  educa- 
tion of  the  young,  where  their  morals  would 
be  secure.  But  afterward  it  became,  step 
by  step,  exclusively  a  school  for  the  educa- 
tion of  .sons  of  itinerant  preachers,  and  so  it 
continues  to  the  present.  He  also  pro- 
jected schools  for  poor  children  at  Newcas- 
tle and  London. 

32.  Give  an  incident  loJiich  enabled  Mr. 
Wesley  to  partly  meet  the  expenses  of  his 

henevolent  worh. 

At  one  time  he  mentioned  to  Lady  Max- 
well his  desire  and  design  of  erecting  a 
Christian  school,  such  as  would  not  disgrace 
the  Apostolic  age.  The  lady  was  so  well 
pleased  with  the  idea,  she  put  in  his  hands 
live  hundred  pounds  toward  it;  and  on 
learning,  sometime  afterward,  that  it  was 
indebted  three  hundred  pounds,  slie  gave 
him  the  entire  amount  to  pay  the  debt. 
What  his  unparalleled  plan  of  finance  did 
not  secure  in  small  sums  among  the  poor, 
the  providence  of  God  supplied. 

33.  Give   an  example   of  Mr.  Wesley'* s 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  89 

^^ systematic  beneficence^^  from  his  oion  his- 
tory f 

AVhen  liis  own  income  was  but  thirty 
pounds  a  year,  he  gave  away  two  pounds ; 
when  it  was  sixty,  lie  gave  away  thirty-two  ; 
wlien  it  reached  one  hundred  and  twenty,  he 
kept  himself  to  his  old  allowance,  twenty- 
eight  pounds,  and  gave  away  ninety -two 
pounds.  It  is  estimated  that  he  gave  away 
in  the  course  of  his  life  more  than  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

Si.  ^Mlat  was  one  of  the  inost  imj^ortant 
questions  asked  at  the  first  Conference? 

'^  Can  we  have  a  seminary  for  laborers  ?  " 
Methodism  was  not  yet  sufficiently  mature, 
especially  in  its  iinances,  for  the  important 
design  :  the  answer  was,  therefore,  "  If  God 
spare  us  till  another  Conference." 

35.  Did  they  continue  to  agitate  the  sub- 
ject f 

The  inquiry  was  made  at  subsequent  Con- 
ferences, and  never  abandoned  till  it  was 
effectively  answered  by  the  establishment  of 
the  present  two  Vv^ell-endowed  "  Theological 


90         WESLEY   AND    EARLY   METHODISM. 

Institutions "  in  England,  and  the  three 
"  Biblical  Institutes "  in  America.  Meth- 
odism commenced  in  a  university,  and  has 
always,  in  its  public  capacity,  zealously  pro- 
moted useful  knowledge  and  educational 
institutions.  Objections  to  even  theological 
education  have  been  comparatively  modern, 
and  mostly  personal. 


WESLEY   AND   EARLY   METHODISM.         91 


CHAPTEE  YII. 

1.  What  had  heen  accomplished  vnthin 
six  years  from  the  first  Conference  f 

Methodism  had  taken  deep  root  among 
the  colliers  of  Kingswood  and  Newcastle, 
the  miners  of  Cornwall,  the  peasants  of 
Yorkshire,  and  the  drunken  multitudes  of 
Moorfields  and  Kennington  Common ;  it 
had  rescued  scores  of  ignorant  and  corrupt 
men  amid  the  vices  of  the  camp  and  the 
terrors  of  battle.  The  Weslejs  had  visited 
Wales,  Ireland,  and  the  north  of  England  ; 
they  had  established  their  cause  throughout 
the  land,  and  it  had  already  changed  the 
moral  aspect  of  much  of  the  nation,  eleva- 
ting the  most  degraded  classes  of  its  popu- 
lation. Tens  of  thousands,  rescued  from 
virtual  heathenism,  blessed  them  as  they 
passed  along  their  ministerial  routes ;   some 


92         WESLEY    ANT)   EAKLY    IMETIIODISM. 

of  tlieir  fiercest  persecutors  had  become  the 
most  zealous  Methodists.  John  Wesley, 
though  preaching  two  or  three  times  daily, 
begimiing  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
traveling  mostly  on  horseback,  at  the  rate 
of  five  thousand  miles  a  .year,  read  contin- 
ually as  he  joui'iieyed,  not  only  in  theology, 
but  still  more  in  his  favorite  studies  of  his- 
tory, antiquities,  and  tlie  classic  poets. 
Charles  habitually  indulged  his  love  for 
l^a-ic  poetry,  composing  immortal  odes  as  he 
rode  along  the  highways  from  town  to  town, 
and  mob  to  mob. 

2.  ^Y/^at  is  said  of  the  Wesleyan  sing- 
in  (J  f 

It  was  a  source  of  great  power  to  early 
Methodism.  Charles  Wesley's  hymns,  with 
simple  but  effective  tunes,  spread  every- 
wliere  among  the  Societies,  and  hundreds, 
wJio  cared  not  for  the  preaching,  were 
charmed  to  the  Methodist  assemblies  by 
their  music,  and  among  such  there  were 
many  wonderful  conversions ;  thousands 
have  been  awakened  and  converted  under  it, 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.  93 

and  have  gone  up  to  sing  the  song  of  Moses 
and  the  Lamb. 

3.  What  were  Mr.  Wesley's  instructions 
with  regard  to  singing  f 

"  Smg  all,"  said  he  ;  "  join  with  the  con- 
gregation as  frequently  as  you  can.  Sing 
lustily,  and  with  good  courage.  Beware 
of  singing  as  if  ^^ou  were  half  dead,  or  half 
asleep,  but  lift  up  your  voice  with  strength. 
Above  all,  sing  sjnritually.  Have  an  eye 
to  God  in  every  Avord  you  sing.  Aim  at 
pleasing  him  ;  in  order  to  do  this  attend 
strictly  to  what  you  sing,  and  see  that  your 
lieart  is  not  carried  away  with  the  sound,  but 
offered  to  God  continually." 

4.  WJiat  other  difficulties  did  Mr.  Wesley 
have  to  surmount  hesides  those  of  poveHy, 
lonjyopularity^  miobs^  etc  f 

Calvinian  controversy,  secessions,  and  the 
question  of  separation  from  the  Established 
Church. 

6.  Did  Mr.  Wesley  ever  leave  the  Church 
of  England? 

IRo,  he  did  not  leave  that  Church  till  he 


94         WESLEY   AND    EARLY   METHODISM. 

was  removed  to  the  Clmrcli  triumphant. 
The  Societies  he  formed  were  parts  of  the 
Church,  and  aimed  not  at  separation,  but 
greater  improvement  in  the  knowledge  and 
k^ve  of  God. 

6.  To  loliat  two  classes  of  complainers 
did  this  ex])ose  Mr.  Weslef/  f 

Those  who  thought  he  went  too  fa)\ 
that  after  the  people  were  converted  he 
ought  to  leave  them  to  the  watchcare  of 
their  legal  pastors,  particularly  where  they 
were  truly  pious,  and  not  organize  them 
into  Societies ;  and  those  who  thought  he 
did  not  go  far  enough,  that  he  ought  to  se- 
cede and  form  an  independent  Church. 

7.  What  was  his  reason  for  not  leaving 
his  followers  to  the  regidar  clergy  f 

He  thought  it  would  prove  fatal  to  their 
piety,  as  most  of  the  clergy  would  treat 
them  with  derision. 

8.  Why  did  he  not  form  an  independent 
Church  f 

His  reason  was,  not  that  none  could  be 
saved  out  of  the  Established  Church,  but 


WESLEY    ANT>    EARLY   METHODISM.  95 

that  he  could  better  sj^read  scriptural  holi- 
ness over  the  land  by  remaining  in  it  than 
by  seceding  from  it ;  which  was  probably 
true  at  that  time.  Hence  Mr.  Wesley 
resisted  every  solicitation  to  closer  adher- 
ence to  the  Church,  or  a  greater  departure 
from  it. 

9.  Did  he  reqtdre  any  thing  as  a  condi- 
tion of  ineinbershijy  in  his  Societies  which 
was  inconsistent  with  his  relations  to  the 
Churchy  or  conformity  to  its  laioful  regula- 
tions f 

He  held  no  service  in  the  chapels  during 
the  time  of  regular  service  in  the  Church, 
but  attended  that  service  himself,  and  en- 
joined upon  his  followers  to  do  the  same. 
]^or  would  he  allow  the  preachers  to  ad- 
minister i\\Q  sacraments,  but  required  the 
members  of  the  Societies  to  attend  upon 
the  sacraments  in  the  Church.  His  preach- 
ing-places must  not  be  called  churclies,  but 
chapels ;  his  helpers,  not  clergymen,  but  lay 
preachers  ;  and  the  assemblies  of  his  people, 
mere  Societies. 


96  WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

10.  Did  Mr.  Wesley  maintain  this  course 
without  difficulty  f 

No,  nor  without  strong  apprehensions 
that  something  like  a  separation  would  ulti- 
mately take  place,  as  the  repulsion  of  Meth- 
odists and  Methodist  ]n*eachers  from  the 
sacrament  and  the  infliction  of  cruel  per- 
secution from  a  domineering  priesthood 
created  a  general  distrust  of  the  piety  of  its 
incumbents,  and  a  consequent  disinclination 
to  attend  upon  their  ministry. 

11.  What  did  he  find  it  necessary  to  do? 

As  there  was  a  loud  call  for  the  sacra- 
ments, he  found  it  necessary  to  administer 
them  himself  in  some  of  the  chapels,  and 
to  secure  similar  services  from  several  of  the 
regular  clergy  who  were  interested  in  his 
v/ork. 

12.  How  did  he  express  liimself  in  a  let- 
ter to  a  friend  with  rcyardto  these  seeming 
innovations  f 

"  Kor  have  we  taken  one  step  farther 
than  we  were  convinced  was  our  bound- 
en  duty.     It  is  from  a  full  conviction  of 


WESLEY   AND   EARLY    METHODISM.  97 

.this  that  we  have,  1.  Preached  abroad. 
2.  Prayed  extempore.  3.  Formed  Societies. 
4.  Permitted  preachers  who  were  not  epis- 
copallj  ordained.  And  were  we  pushed  on 
this  side,  were  there  no  alternative  aUowed, 
we  should  judge  it  our  bounden  duty,  rather 
wholly  to  separate  from  the  Church,  than 
to  give  up  any  one  of  these  points.  There- 
fore, if  we  cannot  stop  a  separation  without 
stopping  lay  preachers,  we  cannot  stop>  it  at 
all." 

13.  What  did  Mr.  Wesley  ivrite  after- 
ward f 

"  It  is  plain  to  me  that  the  whole  work 
of  God,  termed  Methodism,  is  an  extraor- 
dinary dispensation  of  his  providence. 
Therefore,  I  do  not  wonder  if  several  things 
occur  therein  which  do  not  fall  under  the 
ordinary  rules  of  discipline." 

14.  What  two  topics  of  interest  came  up 
in  the  Conference  of  1769  ? 

Methodist  missions,  and  the  perpetuation 
of  the  Methodist  system  after  Mr.  Wesley's 
death. 

'7 


98         WESLEY    AND    ExiRLY    METHODISM. 

15.  Give  the  thirteenth  question  at  this 
Conference. 

"  We  have  a  pressing  call  from  our  brethren 
at  I^ew  York,  who  have  built  a  preaching- 
lion  se,  to  come  over  and  help  them.  Ques- 
tion 13.  Who  is  willing  to  go  ?  Answer. 
Eichard  Boardman  and  Joseph  Pilmoor. 
2.  What  can  we  do  further  in  token  of  our 
brotherly  love  ?  Answer.  '  Let  us  now 
make  a  collection  among  ourselves.'  This 
was  immediately  done,  and  out  of  it  £50 
was  given  toward  the  payment  of  the  debt, 
and  £20  to  the  brethren  for  their  passage." 

16.  Give  the  origin  of  Methodism  in 
America  f 

Four  years  before  this,  in  1765,  a  small 
number  of  Methodist  emigrants  from  Ire- 
land had  landed  in  Xew  York,  one  of  them 
being  Philip  Embury,  who  had  recived  a 
local  preacher's  license.  The  next  year, 
1766,  another  Methodist  family  followed,  of 
the  name  of  Ileck.  Mrs.  Barbara  Heck,  a 
cousin  of  Embury,  was  distressed  to  find 
that  her  predecessors  had  greatly  declined 


WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM.  99 

in  godliness.  At  her  reqnest  Philip  Em- 
bury preached  in  "  his  own  liired  house  "  to  a 
congregation  of  five  persons,  this  being  the 
first  Methodist  sermon  delivered  in  America. 
Just  as  this  time  Capt.  Webb,  an  ofiicer  in 
the  English  Army,  who  had  been  converted 
under  Mr.  Wesley,  at  Bristol,  was  constituted 
barrack-master  at  Albany.  Hearing,  on  his 
arrival,  of  the  little  society  in  Xew  York, 
he  soon  appeared  in  the  midst  of  them  in 
his  regimentals ;  great  interest  was  awaken- 
ed, a  ohapel  was  built,  a  society  was  formed, 
and  help  was  asked  from  England.  After 
Boardman  and  Pilmoor  arrived  at  Phila- 
delphia, they  found  Capt.  Webb,  and  a  so- 
ciety of  about  a  hundred  members,  to  whom, 
and  to  thousands  more,  Pilmoor  commenced 
preaching  from  the  grand  stand  erected 
on  the  race-course.  "  At  'New  York," 
Boardman  says,  "the  chapel  would  contain 
about  one  thousand  seven  hundred  hearers ; 
and  about  a  third  part  of  tlie  congregation 
got  in,  and  the  other  two  thirds  were  glad 
to  hear  without." 


100       WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

IT.  Where  and  when  teas  the  first  Meth- 
odist church  in  America  dedicated  f 

The  old  •'  John  Street  Chiirdi,"  in  ]S"ew 
York,  was  dedicated  October  30, 1768,  about 
thirty  years  after  the  birth  of  Methodism  in 
England,  and  two  years  after  its  appearance 
in  America. 

18.  What  question  occupied  Mr.  Wesley'' s 
attention  as  he  advanced  in  life  f 

Being  now  three-score  years  and  ten, 
though  his  health  and  strength  remained 
undiminished,  regarding  his  dissolution  as 
near,  he  deliberately  applied  himself  to  pro- 
vide for  the  government  of  the  multitudes 
he  had  drawn  around  him.  Who  would  take 
his  place,  and  do  his  work,  was  a  question 
which  occupied  not  his  attention  only,  but 
that  of  the  preachers,  who  already  trembled 
for  the  unity  of  the  body  when  Mr.  Wes- 
ley should  be  called  to  his  reward. 

19.  Whom  did  Mr.  Wesley  select  as  his 
successor  f 

As  Mr.  Fletcher  occupied  a  high  place 
in    the    affections   of   the  whole    body   of 


WESLEY    AXD    EARLY    METHODISM.       101 

Methodists,  Mr.  "Wesley,  in  January,  1773, 
wrote  liim  a  very  emphatic  letter,  urging 
liim,  by  high  consideration,  to  enter  into 
the  itinerant  work,  and  be  prepared  to  suc- 
ceed him  in  office. 

20.  Give  some  extracts  from  this  letter  f 
He  writes :  ''  What  an  amazing  work 
God  has  wrought  in  less  than  forty  years ! 
And  it  not  only  contioues,  but  increases 
throughout  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland  ; 
nay,  it  has  lately  spread  into  New  York, 
Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  and  Carolina.  But 
the  wise  men  of  the  world  say, '  When  Mr. 
Wesley  dro23s,  then  all  this  is  at  an  end.'  But 
who  is  sufficient  for  these  things?  Quali- 
fied to  preside  both  over  the  preachers  and 
people,  he  must  be  a  man  of  faith  and 
love,  and  one  that  has  a  single  eye  to  the 
advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
But  has  God  provided  one  so  qualified  ? 
Who  is  he  ?  Thoio  art  the  man  !  God  has 
given  you  a  measure  of  loving  faith,  and  a 
single  eye  to  his  glory.  But  you  will  nat- 
urally say,  '  1  am  not  equal  to  the  task ;  I 


102       WESLEY  AND  EAKLY  METHODISM. 

have  neither  grace  nor  gifts  for  such  an 
employment.'  Who  has  ?  But  do  you  not 
know  Him  who  is  able  to  give  them  ?  Per- 
haps not  at  once,  but  rather  day  by  day ;  as 
each  is,  so  shall  your  strength  be.  '  But 
this  implies,'  you  may  say,  '  a  thousand 
crosses,  such  as  I  feel  I  am  not  able  to  bear.' 
You  are  not  able  to  bear  them  qiow^  and 
they  are  not  now  come.  Whenever  they 
do  come,  will  He  not  send  them  in  due  num- 
ber, weight,  and  measure  ?  And  will  they 
not  all  be  for  your  profit  that  you  may  be  a 
partaker  of  his  holiness  ?  " 

21.  What  was  Mr.  Fletcher's  answer  f 
Mr.  Fletcher  replied,  with  his  usual  mod- 
esty, declining  the  overture,  but  pi-omising 
such  assistance  as  he  mio^ht  be  able  to  aiford 
him  in  certain  contingencies.  Mr.  Fletcher 
died  six  years  before  Mr.  Wesley. 

22.  ^Yhy  has  the  year  1784  been  called  a 
critical  year  in  the  history  of  Methodism  f 

1.  In  that  year  Mr.  Wesley  recorded  in 
his  Majesty's  High  Court  of  Chancery  his 
famous  ''Deed  of  Declaration,"  which  es- 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM.       103 

tablislied  tlie  legal  settlement  of  the  Confer- 
ence, settling  tlie  question  of  authority  and 
government. '  2.  He  gave  to  iimerican  Meth- 
odism an  Episcopal  organization  by  ordain- 
ing a  bishop,  Dr.  Coke,  and  two  presbyters, 
Eichard  "Whatcoat,  and  Thomas  Yasey. 

23.  What  necessity  loas  there  for  this 
Deed  of  Declaration  f 

As  yet  there  was  no  legal  definition  of 
what  was  meant  by  the  term  "  Conference 
of  the  people  called  Methodists."  It  had 
not  been  an  incorporated  institution.  To 
supply  this  defect  Mr.  "Wesley  executed 
this  noted  Deed.  Its  object  was  to  explain 
the  words,  "  Yearly  Conference  of  the  jpeo- 
2?le  called  MetliodAsts^''  and  to  declare  "  what 
persons  are  members  of  the  said  Confer- 
ence, and  how  the  succession  and  identity 
thereof  is  to  be  continued." 

2i.  What  was  this  Deed? 

Mr.  Wesley  named  one  hundred  preach- 
ers, who  were  to  constitute  the  legal  Con- 
ference after  his  death,  making  provisions 
for  the  filling  of  vacancies,  occasioned   bj 


104:      WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM. 

death,  superannuation,  or  expulsion,  and 
defining  their  duties  and  powers,  so  as  to  se- 
cure the  occupancy  of  the  meetinghouses, 
and  other  society  property,  to  the  Method- 
ists, according  to  the  original  design,  and 
preserve  the  itinerancy  forever  unimpaired 
among  them. 

25.  W/iat  has  this  instrument jyroved  to  he? 

The  sheet-anchor  of  Mr.  Wesley's  incom- 
parable plan,  and  the  true  interests  of  Meth- 
odism in  every  emergency.  The  necessity 
for  such  a  constitution  was  obvious  and  ab- 
solute. The  peculiar  economy  of  Method- 
ism could  not  otherwise  proceed.  It  must 
cease  to  be  itinerant,  must  subside  into  Con- 
gregationalism, or  else  adopt  some  such 
organization  as  this.  The  Deed  was  saga- 
ciously framed,  and  time  has  well  proved  its 
wisdom,  and  the  results  of  the  plan  have 
demonstrated  Mr.  Wesley's  prudent  fore- 
sight. 

26.  Give  the  details  of  the  second  ini^por- 
tant  event  of  1784. 

Methodism  liad  spread  rapidly  in  America, 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.       105 

notwithstanding  the  war  of  the  Revohi- 
tion.  It  now  numbered  eightj-three 
traveling  preachers,  besides  hundreds  of 
local  preachers  and  about  fifteen  tliousand 
members.  Many  of  the  English  clergy,  on 
whom  the  Methodist  Societies  had  depended 
for  the  sacraments,  had  fled  from  the  land, 
or  had  entered  political  or  military  life,  and 
the  Episcopal  Church  had  been  generally 
disabled.  Under  these  circumstances  the 
Methodists  demanded  of  their  preachers 
the  administration  of  the  sacraments,  as 
many  of  the  Societies  had  been  months, 
some  of  them  years,  witliout  them.  The 
demand  was  not  only  urgent,  it  was  logical- 
ly right,  but  by  the  majority  of  the  preach- 
ers it  was  not  deemed  expedient,  therefore 
they  exhorted  their  people  to  patiently  wait 
until  Mr.  Wesley  could  be  consulted.  Mr. 
Wesley,  appreciating  their  situation,  impor- 
tuned the  authorities  of  the  English  Church 
in  behalf  of  the  Americans.  He  wrote  to 
the  Bishop  of  London,  imploring  ordination 
for  a  single  preacher,  that  he  might  go  to 


106       WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

America,  travel  among  them  as  a  presbyter, 
and  give  them  the  sacraments.  But  the 
request  was  denied,  the  bishop  replying, 
"  There  are  three  ministers  in  that  coun- 
try already."  "  What  are  these,"  said  Wes- 
ley, ''to  watch  over  all  that  extensive 
country  ?  I  mourn  for  poor  America,  for 
the  slieep  scattered  up  and  down  therein; 
part  of  them  have  no  shepherds  at  all, 
and  the  case  of  tlic  rest  is  little  better,  for 
tlieir  shepherds  pity  them,  not."  After  full 
consideration  and  earnest  prayer,  Mr.  Wes- 
ley resolved  to  take  the  necessary  steps  for 
the  organization  of  the  Societies  of  America 
into  a  separate  Church.  Accordingly,  with 
the  assistance  of  several  clergymen  in  En- 
gland, he  set  apart  Dr.  Coke  for  the  office  of 
6U])erintendent,  ordaining  him,  according  to 
the  form  for  ordaining  bishops  in  the  Church 
of  England.  He  also  ordained  two  elders, 
Revs.  Itichard  Whatcoat  and  Thomas  Yasey, 
and  sent  them  to  America  with  Dr.  Coke, 
to  wliom  he  gave  directions  to  ordain  Mr. 
Asbury  as  a  joint  superintendent. 


WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM.       lOT 

27.  What  did  they  do  soon  after  their 
arrival  in  America  f 

They  arrived  in  America  in  November, 
and  were  joyfully  received.  Having  con- 
ferred with  Mr.  Asbnry  and  a  number  of 
the  preachers,  a  Conference  was  convened 
in  Baltimore,  on  Christmas,  1784 ;  a  Church 
was  organized,  by  the  unanimous  consent  of 
the  preachers  present,  called  tlie  "  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,"  and  Dr.  Coke  and 
Mr.  Asbury  were  elected  superintendents  or 
bishops.  Mr.  Asbury  was  ordained  by  Dr. 
Coke,  assisted  by  the  elders,  liichard  Wliat- 
coat  and  Thomas  Yasey,  and  also  by  Eev.  Mr. 
Otterbein,  of  the  German  Reformed  Church. 

28.  Give  a  descrij)tion  of  the  early  Meth- 
odist lyreachers. 

"What  did  they  not  dare?  What  did 
they  not  sacrifice  ?  They  were  hunted  and 
hooted  by  brntal  mobs,  they  were  pelted 
with  stones,  and  driven  from  judgment-seats 
by  Mthless  magistrates ;  they  were  branded 
with  vile  epithets  and  endungeoned  in  vile 
prisons ;  they  were  plunged  in  horse  ponds, 


108       WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

and  impressed  by  recruiting  sergeants  for 
foreign  wai- ;  tliey  braved  the  rigors  of  severe 
winters,  and  the  perils  of  flood  and  forest ; 
they  slumbered  on  hardest  pillows  and 
housed  in  lowliest  hovels.  But  in  their 
work  they  were  joyous ;  in  their  trials 
they  were  patient ;  in  their  homes  they 
were  contented ;  in  their  journeyings  the 
woods  echoed  their  songs ;  in  their  jnilpits 
they  had  power  with  man ;  in  their  persecu- 
tions they  prayed  for  their  enemies ;  in  their 
old  age  they  testify  they  have  not  followed 
'  cunningly  devised  fables ;'  in  their  death 
hour  they  are  borne  up  on  their  shields, 
'  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and 
the  weary  are  at  rest.'  And  in  their  final 
home,  '  These  are  they  who  came  up  out 
of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their 
robes  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb ;  thenceforth  they  are  before  the 
throne.' " — Dr.  Guard. 

29.  I7i  one  resi^ect^  how  did  the  latter  part 
of  Mr.  Wesley^  s  life  differ  f^om  the  former? 

His  early  travels  were  constantly  inter- 


WESLEY   AND  EARLY  METHODISM.        109 

rupted  by  mobs  and  otlier  persecutions, 
which  not  only  embarrassed  his  work,  but 
often  endangered  his  life.  But  God  permit- 
ted him  to  live  to  command  the  respect  and 
veneration  of  his  greatest  enemies.  His 
old  age  was  honored  with  all  the  attention 
that  was  safe  for  any  man  to  receive.  The 
churches  in  London  were  generally  closed 
against  him  in  1738 ;  but  now  he  had  more 
applications  to  preach  in  those  churches,  for 
the  benefit  of  public  charities,  than  he  could 
possibly  comply  with.  His  visits  to  many 
places  in  the  country  created  a  sort  of  gen- 
eral festival.  The  people  crowded  around 
him  as  he  passed  along  the  streets,  the  win- 
dows were  filled  with  eager  gazers,  the  chil- 
dren wanted '  to  catch  the  good  man's  smile,' 
which  the  overflowing  benignity  of  his 
heart  rendered  him  ever  willing:  to  bestow. 

30.  Give  a  descrijytion  of  the  two  visits 
at  Cornwall  and  Falmouth^  forty  years 
Ojjpart. 

When  he  first  went  into  Cornwall,  accom- 
panied by  John  IS'elson,  he  plucked  black- 


110      WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

berries  from  the  hedges  to  allay  the  crav- 
ings of  hunger,  and  slept  upon  boards, 
having  his  saddle  bags  for  a  pillow.  Now, 
he  was  received  as  an  angel  of  God.  In 
1TS9,  visiting  Falmouth,  Mr.  Wesley  says : 
"  The  last  time  I  was  here,  above  forty 
years  ago,  I  was  taken  prisoner  by  an  im- 
mense mob,  gaping  and  roaring  like  lions. 
But  how  is  the  tide  turned  !  High  and  low 
now  lined  the  street,  from  one  end  of  the 
town  to  the  other,  out  of  stark  love,  gaping 
and  staring  as  if  the  king  were  going  by." 

31.  After  having  secured  the  organiza- 
tion of  Wesleyan  Methodism^  and  the  estah- 
lishment  of  an  independent  Church  in 
America^  did  Mr.  Wesley  retire  from  his 
worh  f 

No,  he  continued  his  labors,  journeying 
and  writing,  after  this  as  before,  without 
much  interruption  of  health  till  March  2, 
J  791,  when  he  departed  this  life  in  glorious 
hope  of  a  blissful  immortality,  in  the  eighty- 
eiglith  year  of  his  age,  and  the  sixty-fourth 
of  his  ministry,  leaving  five  hundred  and 


WESLEY    AND    EAKLY    METHODISM.       Ill 

fifty  itinerant  ministers,  besides  tlioiisands 
of  local  preachers,  and  one  hnndred  and 
forty  tlionsand  communicants  in  tlie  United 
Kingdom,  the  British  Provinces,  the  United 
States,  and  the  West  Indies,  all  cherishing 
the  same  faith,  enjoying  the  same  religion, 
and  walking  by  the  same  rules. 

32.  Give  the  grand  total  of  Methodists 
and  Missions  in  1883. 

There  are  33,385  itinerant  m.inisters, 
77,935  local  preachers,  and  5,094,564  lay 
members.* 

33.  Give  Dr.  Guard'* s  descrij^tion  of  the 
present  2)osition  of  Methodism. 

"  Of  the  present  position  of  Method- 
ism, as  to  the  numbers  reached  by  her 
ministry  the  world  over,  we  have  often 
heard.  Some  thirteen  millions  listen  to  her 
ministrations  of  truth,  and  share  in  her 
pastoral  oversight.  The  sun  sets  not  on  her 
dominion.  Her  people  are  found  in  every 
land,  and  abide  in  every  zone.  All  climates 
embrace  them — the  winters  of  Hudson's 
*  "  Methodist  Year-Book,"  1884. 


112       WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM. 

Bay  and  the  suns  of  India  play  and  beat 
upon  tliem.  Tliey  locate  in  forests,  and 
they  throng  the  marble  city.  Pacific  waves 
ripple  upon  their  shores,  and  peaks  crowned 
with  eternal  snow  fling  their  shadows  o'er 
their  dwellings.  She  is  in  her  second  cent- 
ury; and  yet  no  wrinkle  upon  her  brow, 
nor  haze  in  her  vision,  nor  stoop  in  her 
form,  nor  halt  in  her  step  gives  sign  of  wast- 
ed energy  and  declining  vigor.  Still  her 
sanctuaries  are  Bethesdas,  and  her  prayer- 
meetings  Bethels.  Still  she  gathers  in  the 
street  Arab,  and  sends  her  missionaries  to 
Orient  fields  of  toil  and  death.  She  multi- 
plies her  places  of  worship  at  the  rate  of 
two  for  every  day  of  the  year.  Her  doc- 
trines are  to-day  as  when  Wesley  died ;  her 
philanthropy  is  as  broad,  her  relations  to 
other  Churches  as  catholic,  as  when  Wesley 
said,  '  The  world  is  my  parish,  and  we  are 
the  friends  of  all,  the  enemies  of  none.' 
The  world  needs  her ;  and  she  shall  not  per- 
ish !  The  Churches  need  her  ;  and  she  shall 
not  perish !     She  believes  still  in  conversion  ; 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM.       113 

and  slie  shall  not  perish  !  She  still  holds 
forth  Christ  crucitied ;  and  she  shall  not 
perish!  She  still  believes  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  Lord  and  Giver  of  life ;  and  she 
shall  not  perish  !  Baptized  into  the  fullness 
of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
she  shall  move  forth  resplendent  with  everj 
virtue ;  all  aglow  vdih  '  the  dew  of  her 
youth ; '  bright  as  the  sun,  fair  as  the 
moon,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  ban- 
ners !  And  having  conquered  a  world  for 
her  Divine  Head,  and  as  she  reposes  within 
the  mild  splendors  of  the  latter-day  glory, 
even  angels,  as  they  bend  o'er  the  scene, 
shall  exclaim,  'How  lovely  are  thy  tents 
and  thy  dwellings,  O  people ;  the  little  one 
has  become  a  thousand,  and  the  small  one  a 
strong  nation  ;  I  the  Lord  have  done  it  for 
mine  own  name's  sake.'  " 
8 


114    wesley  and  early  methodism. 

Wesley's   Last  Text  and  Final  Utter- 
ances. 

"  Seek  ye  tlie  Lord   while   he   may  be 
found  ;  call  upon  him  while  he  is  near.'' 
—  Wesle7/''s  text  for  Ms  last  sermon. 

"  I'll  praise  my  Maker  while  I've  breath, 
And  when  ray  voice  is  lost  in  death, 

Praise  shall  employ  my  nobler  powers ; 
My  days  of  praise  shall  ne'er  be  past, 
While  life,  and  thought,  and  being  last, 
Or  immortality  endures." 

"  To  Father,  Son.  and  Holy  Ghost, 
Who  sweetly  all  agree." 

—  Wesley's  last  song  on  earth. 

"  The  best  of  all  is,  God  is  with  us." 

"  We  thank  thee,  O  Lord,  for  these  and 

all  thy  mercies.     Bless  the  Church  and  king, 

and  grant  us  truth  and  peace  through  Jesus 

Christ  our  Lord,  for  ever  and  ever." 

"  The  Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us  ;  the  God 

of  Jacob  is  our  refuge  !     Pray  and  praise !" 

"  Farewell." 

—  The  LAST  WORDS  of  Johi  Wesley. 


ARTICLES  OF   RELIGION. 

GENERAL  RULES. 

BAPTISMAL  AND  CHURCH  COVENANTS. 


ARTICLES  OF  RELIGIOxN. 


1.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  words, 
^'Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Ljpiscojjal 
Church  f  " 

It  is  the  title  of  a  book  containing  tlie 
doctrines,  usages,  government,  and  ritual 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

2.  Why  is  it  desired  that  it  may  he  found 
in  the  house  of  every  Methodist? 

We  ought,  next  to  the  Holj  Scriptures,  to 
understand  the  Articles  of  Keligion  and  the 
rules  of  the  Church  to  which  we  belong. 
Far  from  wishing  any  to  be  ignorant  of  the 
doctrines,  or  any  part  of  the  Discipline,  it 
is  desired  that  they  read,  mark,  learn,  and 
inwardly  digest  the  whole.  Again,  it  con- 
tains the  Articles  of  Faith  maintained,  more 
or  less,  in  part  or  in  whole,  by  every  Chris- 
tian Church  in  the  world. 


118      WESLEY   AND   EARLY   METHODISM. 

3.  What  obligation  does  the  fact  of  our 
heing  in  the  Church  imply  f 

It  "  implies  an  obligation  to  conform  to 
her  Discipline.  But  we  are  under  more  than 
an  imj)lied  obligation.  We  promised,  as  a 
condition  of  being  admitted  to  full  member- 
ship, in  presence  of  the  Church  assembled, 
to  observe  and  keep  her  rules.  And  now 
consistency  requires  it,  and  the  people,  both 
in  and  out  of  the  Church,  expect  us  to  keep 
our  pledge.  To  violate  it  would  involve 
our  reputation  and  peace  of  mind." — Bishop 
Morris. 

4.  How  is  the  Discipline  divided? 

Into  six  parts :  Part  I.  Origin,  Doctrines, 
and  Rules.  Part  II.  Government  of  the 
Church.  Part  III.  Administration  of  Dis- 
cipline. Part  ly.  Educational  and  Benevo- 
lent Institutions.  Part  Y.  Temporal  Econ- 
omy.    Part  YI.  Eitual  of  the  Church. 

5.  What  were  our  Articles  of  Religion 
taken  from,  am.d  how  are  they  divided  f 

They  were  abridged  and  slightly  altered 
from  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  Church 


WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM.       119 

of  England.     They  are  divided  into  twenty- 
five  sections. 

6.  Give  Articles  I,  II,  III,  IV,  and  Y  of 
our  faith. 

I.  Of  Faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity. — There 
is  but  one  living  and  true  God,  everlasting, 
without  body  or  parts,  of  infinite  power, 
wisdom,  and  goodness  ;  the  maker  and  pre- 
server of  all  things,  visible  and  invisible. 
And  in  unity  of  this  Godhead  there  are 
three  persons,  of  one  substance,  power,  and 
eternity,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost."^ 

II.  Of  the  Woixl,  or  Son  of  God,  icho 
was  made  very  Man. — The  Son,  who  is  tlie 
Word  of  the  Father,  the  very  and  eternal 
God,  of  one  substance  with  the  Father, 
took  man's  nature  in  the  womb  of  the 
blessed  Yirgin ;  so  that  two  whole  and  per- 
feet  natures,  that  is  to  say,  the  Godhead 
and  manhood,  were  joined  together  in  one 
person,  never  to  be  divided,  whereof  is  one 
Christ,  very  God  and  very  man,  who  truly 
sufiered,  was  crucified,  dead  and  buried,  to 


120       WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM. 

reconcile  his  Father  to  us,  and  to  be  a  sacri- 
fice, not  only  for  original  guilt,  but  also  for 
the  actual  sins  of  men. 

III.  Of  the  Besurrectiorb  of  Christ. — 
Christ  did  truly  rise  again  from  the  dead, 
and  took  again  his  body,  with  all  things  ap- 
pertaining to  the  perfection  of  man's  nature, 
wherewith  he  ascended  into  heaven,  and 
there  sitteth  until  he  return  to  judge  all 
men  at  the  last  day. 

lY.  Of  the  Iloly  Ghost— HhQ  Holy 
Ghost,  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  is  of  one  substance,  majesty,  and  glory 
with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  very  and 
eternal  God. 

Y.  The  Sufficiency  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures for  Salvation. — The  Holy  Scriptures 
contain  all  things  necessary  to  salvation  ;  so 
that  whatsoever  is  not  read  therein,  nor 
may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not  to  be  required 
of  any  man  that  it  should  be  believed  as  an 
article  of  faith,  or  be  thought  requisite  or 
necessary  to  salvation.  In  the  name  of  the 
Iloly    Scripture   we   do   understand   those 


WESLEY    AND    EAELY   METHODISM.       121 

canonical  books  of  the  Old  and  lN"ew  Tes- 
tament of  whose  authority  was  never  any 
doubt  in  the  Church.  The  names  of  the 
canonical  books  are — 

Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus,  N'umbers, 
Deuteronomy,  Joshua,  Judges,  Euth,  The 
First  Book  of  Samuel,  The  Second  Book 
of  Samuel,  The  First  Book  of  Kings,  The 
Second  Book  of  Kings,  The  First  Book  of 
Chronicles,  The  Second  Book  of  Chronicles, 
The  Book  of  Ezra,  The  Book  of  Nehemiah, 
the  Book  of  Esther,  the  Book  of  Job,  The 
Psalms,  The  Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes  or  the 
Preacher,  Cantica  or  Songs  of  Solomen, 
Four  Prophets  the  greater.  Twelve  Prophets 
the  less. 

All  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  as 
they  are  commonly  received,  we  do  receive 
and  account  canonical. 

7.  Give  Articles  Yl.  and  YII. 

YI.  Of  the  Old  Testament— T\\q  Old 
Testament  is  not  contrary  to  the  New ;  for 
both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament  ever- 
lasting life  is  offered  to  mankind  by  Christ, 


122   WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM. 

who  is  tlie  only  Mediator  between  God  and 
Man,  being  both  God  and  Man.  Where- 
fore they  are  not  to  be  heard  who  feign 
that  the  old  fathers  did  look  only  for  transi- 
tory promises.  Althongh  the  law  given 
from  God  by  Moses,  as  touching  ceremonies 
and  rites,  doth  not  bind  Christians,  nor 
ought  the  civil  j)recej)ts  thereof  of  necessity 
be  received  in  any  commonwealth;  yet, 
notwithstanding,  no  Christian  whatsoever  is 
free  from  the  obedience  of  the  command- 
ments which  are  called  moral. 

YII.  Of  Original  or  Birth  Sin. —  Orig- 
inal sin  standeth  not  in  the  following  of 
Adam,  (as  the  Pelagians  do  vainly  talk,) 
but  it  is  the  corruption  of  the  nature  of 
every  man,  that  naturally  is  engendered  of 
tlie  offspring  of  Adam,  whereby  man  is 
very  far  gone  from  original  righteousness, 
and  of  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil,  and 
that  continually. 

8.   Give  Articles  YIII,  IX,  X,  and  XI. 

YIII.  Of  Free  Will.—ThQ  condition  of 
man  after  the  fall  of  Adam  is  such  that  he 


WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM.        123 

cannot  turn  and  prepare  himself,  by  his  own 
natural  strength  and  works,  to  faith,  and 
calling  uj^on  God  ;  wherefore  we  have  no 
power  to  do  good  works,  pleasant  and  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  without  the  grace  of  God 
by  Christ  preventing  us,  [surrounding  us 
and  leading  us,]  that  we  may  have  a  good 
will,  and  working  with  us,  when  we  have 
that  good  will. 

IX.  Of  the  Justification  of  Man. — We 
are  accounted  righteous  before  God  only 
for  the  merit  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  by  faith,  and  not  for  our  own  works 
or  deservings.  Wherefore,  that  we  are  jus- 
tified by  faith  only,  is  a  most  wholesome 
doctrine,  and  very  full  of  comfort. 

X.  Of  Good  WorTts. — Although  good 
works,  which  are  the  fruits  of  faith,  and 
follow  after  justification,  cannot  put  away 
our  sins,  and  endure  the  severity  of  God's 
judgments ;  yet  are  they  pleasing  and 
acceptable  to  God  in  Christ,  and  spring 
out  of  a  true  and  lively  faith,  insomuch 
that   by  them   a   lively   faith  may   be   as 


124:      WESLEY   AND   EAELY   METHODISM. 

evidently  known  as  a  tree  is  discerned  by 
its  fruit. 

XI.  OfWorlcs  of  Super e7''ogation. — Volun- 
tary works — besides,  over,  and  above  God's 
commandments — wliicli  are  called  works  of 
supererogation,  cannot  be  tauglit  without 
arrogancy  and  impiety.  For  by  them  men 
do  declare  that  they  do  not  only  render 
unto  God  as  much  as  they  are  bound  to  do, 
but  that  they  do  more  for  his  sake  than  of 
bound  en  duty  is  required  :  whereas  Christ 
saith  plainly.  When  ye  have  done  all  that  is 
commanded  you,  say.  We  are  unprofitable 
servants. 

9.  Give  Articles  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  and 
XV. 

XII.  Of  Sin  after  Justification. — Not 
every  sin  willingly  committed  after  justifi- 
cation is  the  siii  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  unpardonable.  Wherefore,  the  grant  of 
repentance  is  not  to  be  denied  to  such  as 
fall  into  sin  after  justification  :  after  we  liave 
received  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  may  depart 
from  grace  given,  and  fall  into  sin,  and,  by 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM.       125 

the  grace  of  God,  rise  again  and  amend  our 
lives.  And  therefore  they  are  to  be  con- 
demned who  say  they  can  no  more  sin  as 
long  as  they  live  here ;  or  deny  the  place  of 
forgiveness  to  such  as  truly  repent. 

XIII.  Of  the  Church.  —  The  visil)le 
Church  of  Christ  is  a  congregation  of  faitli- 
f  ul  men,  in  which  the  pure  word  of  God  is 
preached,  and  the  sacraments  duly  adminis- 
tered, according  to  Christ's  ordinance,  in  all 
those  things  that  of  necessity  are  requisite 
to  the  same. 

XIY.  Of  Purgatory. — The  Komish  doc- 
trine concerning  purgatory,  pardon,  wor- 
shiping and  adoration,  as  well  of  images  as 
of  relics,  and  also  invocation  of  saints,  is  a 
fond  thing,  vainly  invented,  and  grounded 
upon  no  warrant  of  Scripture,  but  repug- 
nant to  the  word  of  God. 

XY.  Of  S_peaMng  m  the  Congregation 
in  such  a  Tongue  as  the  People  binder- 
stand. — It  is  a  thing  plainly  repugnant  to 
the  word  of  God,  and  the  custom  of  the 
primitive  Church,  to  have  public  prayer  in 


126      WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM. 

the  Cliurcli,  or  to  minister  the  sacraments, 
in  a  tongue  not  understood  by  the  people, 

10.  Give  Articles  XYI,  XYII,  XYIII, 
and  XIX. 

XYI.  Of  the  Sacraments. — Sacraments 
ordained  of  Christ  are  not  only  badges  or 
tokens  of  Christian  men's  profession,  but 
rather  they  are  certain  signs  of  grace,  and 
God's  good  will  toward  us,  by  the  which  he 
doth  work  invisibly  in  us,  and  doth  not  only 
quicken,  but  also  strengthen  and  confirm, 
our  faith  in  him. 

There  are  two  sacraments  ordained  of 
Christ  our  Lord  in  the  Gospel ;  that  is  to 
say,  Baptism  and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord. 

Those  five  commonly  called  sacraments, 
that  is  to  say,  confirmation,  penance,  orders, 
matrimony,  and  extreme  unction,  are  not  to 
be  counted  for  sacraments  of  the  Gospel,  be- 
ing such  as  have  partly  grown  out  of  the  cor- 
rupt following  of  the  apostles,  and  partly 
are  states  of  life  allowed  in  the  Scriptures, 
but  yet  have  not  the  like  nature  of  Bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  Supper,  because  they 


WESLEY   AND   EAELY    METHODISM.      127 

have  not  any  visible  sign  or  ceremony  or- 
dained of  God. 

The  sacraments  were  not  ordained  of 
Christ  to  be  gazed  npon,  or  to  be  carried 
about ;  but  tliat  we  should  duly  use  them. 
And  in  such  only  as  worthily  [reverently  or 
considerately]  receive  the  same,  they  have 
a  wholesome  effect  or  operation  :  but  they 
that  receive  them  unworthily,  [irreverently 
or  inconsiderately]  purchase  to  themselves 
condemnation,  as  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  xi,  29. 

XYII.  Of  Bajptism. — Baptism  is  not  only 
a  sign  of  profession,  and  mark  of  difference, 
whereby  Christians  are  distinguished  from 
others  that  are  not  baptized  ;  but  it  is  also  a 
sign  of  regeneration,  or  the  new  birth.  The 
baptism  of  young  children  is  to  be  retained 
in  the  Church. 

XYIII.  Of  the  Lord's  Supper.— l^h^  Sup- 
per of  the  Lord  is  not  only  a  sign  of  the- 
love  that  Christians  ought  to  have  among 
themselves  one  to  another,  but  rather  is  a 
sacrament  of  our  redemption  by  Christ's 
death ;  insomuch  that,  to  such  as  rightly, 


128      WESLEY   AND   EARLY   METHODISM. 

worthily,  and  witli  faitli  receive  tlie  same, 
the  bread  which  we  break  is  a  partaking  of 
the  body  of  Christ ;  and  hkewise  the  cup  of 
blessing  is  a  partaking  of  the  blood  of  Christ. 

Transubstantiation,  or  the  change  of  the 
snbstance  of  bread  and  wine  in  the  Snp- 
per  of  our  Lord,  cannot  be  proved  by  Holy 
Writ,  but  is  repugnant  to  the  plain  words 
of  Scripture,  overthroweth  the  nature  of  a 
sacrament,  and  hath  given  occasion  to  many 
superstitions. 

The  body  of  Christ  is  given,  taken,  and 
eaten  in  the  Supper,  only  after  a  heavenly 
and  spiritual  manner.  And  the  means' 
whereby  the  body  of  Christ  is  received  and 
eaten  in  the  Supper,  is  faith. 

The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was 
not  by  Christ's  ordinance  reserved,  carried 
about,   lifted   up,   or   worshiped. 

XIX.  Of  loth  JTinds.— The  cup  of  the 
Lord  is  not  to  be  denied  to  the  lay  peoj)le ; 
for  botli  the  parts  of  tlie  Lord's  Supper,  by 
Christ's  ordinance  and  commandment,  ought 
to  be  administered  to  all  Christians  alike. 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.       120 

11.  Gwe  Articles  XX,  XXI,  and  XXII. 

XX.  Of  the  one  Oblation  of  Christy 
finished  ujpon  the  Cross. — The  offering  of 
Christ,  once  made,  is  that  perfect  redemp- 
tion, propitiation,  and  satisfaction,  for  all 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  both  original 
and  actual ;  and  there  is  none  other  satisfac- 
tion for  sin  but  that  alone.  Wherefore  the 
sacrifices  of  masses,  in  the  which  it  is  com- 
monly said  that  tlie  priest  doth  offer  Christ 
for  tlie  quick  [living]  and  the  dead,  to  have 
remission  of  pain  or  guilt,  is  a  blasphemous 
fable  and  dangerous  deceit. 

XXI.  Of  the  Marriage  of  Ministers. — 
The  ministers  of  Christ  are  not  commanded 
bj  God's  law  either  to  vow  the  estate  of 
single  life,  or  to  abstain  from  marriage: 
therefore  it  is  lawful  for  them,  as  for  all 
other  Christians,  to  marry  at  their  own  dis- 
cretion, as  they  shall  judge  the  same  to 
serve  best  to  godliness. 

XXII.  Of  the  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of 
Churches. — It  is  not  necessary  that  rites 
and  ceremonies  should  in  all  places  be  the 


130       WESLEY  AND  EAELY  METHODISM. 

same,  or  exactly  alike ;  for  they  have  been 
always  different,  and  may  be  changed  ac- 
cording to  the  diversity  of  countries,  times, 
and  men's  manners,  so  that  nothing  be  or- 
dained against  God's  word.  "Whosoever, 
through  his  private  judgment,  willingly  and 
purposely  doth  openly  break  the  rites  and 
ceremonies  of  the  Church  to  which  he  be- 
longs, which  are  not  repugnant  to  the  word 
of  God,  and  are  ordained  and  approved  by 
common  authority,  ought  to  be  rebuked 
openly,  that  others  may  fear  to  do  the  like, 
as  one  that  offendeth  against  the  common 
order  of  the  Church,  and  woundeth  the 
consciences  of  weak  brethren. 

Every  particular  Church  [denomination] 
may  ordain,  change,  or  abolish  rites  and 
ceremonies,  so  that  all  things  may  be  done 
to  edification. 

12.  Give  Articles  XXIII,  XXIY,  and 
XXY. 

XXIII.  Of  the  Rulers  of  the  United 
States  of  America. — The  President,  the 
Congress,  the  General  Assemblies,  the  Gov- 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.       131 

ernors,  and  tlie  Councils  of  State,  as  the 
delegates  of  the  jpeojple^  are  the  rulers  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  according  to  the 
division  of  jjower  made  to  them,  by  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  by 
the  Constitutions  of  their  respective  States. 
And  the  said  States  are  a  sovereign  and 
independent  nation,  and  ought  not  to  be 
subject  to  any  foreign  jurisdiction. 

XXIY.  Of  Christian  Menh  Goods. — 
The  riches  and  goods  of  Christians  are  not 
common,  as  touching  the  right,  title,  and 
possession  of  the  same,  as  some  do  falsely 
boast.  E'otwithstanding,  every  man  ought, 
of  such  things  as  he  possesseth,  liberally  to 
give  alms  to  the  poor,  according  to  his 
ability. 

XX Y.  Of  a  Christian  Man^ s  Oath. — As 
we  confess  that  vain  and  rash  swearing  is 
forbidden  Christian  men  by  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  James  his  apostle ;  so  we  judge 
that  the  Christian  religion  doth  not  prohibit, 
but  that  a  man  may  swear  when  the  magis- 
trate requireth,   in   a   cause   of   faith   and 


132      WESLEY    AlsB    EAELY   METHODISM. 

charity,  so  it  be  done  according  to  the 
prophet's  teaching,  in  justice,  judgment, 
and  truth. 


THE   GENERAL   RULES. 


13.  Give  the  rise  of  the  United  Society, 
first  in  Eurojye^  and  then  in  America. 

In  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1Y39  eight 
or  ten  persons  came  to  Mr.  Wesley  in  Lon- 
don, who  appeared  to  be  deeply  convinced 
of  sin,  and  earnestly  groaning  for  redemp- 
tion. They  desired,  as  did  two  or  three 
more  the  next  day,  that  he  would  spend 
some  time  with  them  in  prayer,  and  advise 
them  how  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come, 
which  they  saw  continually  hanging  over 
their  heads.  That  he  might  have  more  time 
for  this  great  work,  he  appointed  a  day  when 
they  might  all  come  together ;   which  from 


WESLEY   AND    EARLY   METHODISM.       133 

thenceforward  they  did  every  week,  namely, 
on  Thursday^  in  the  evening.  To  these, 
and  as  many  more  as  desired  to  join  with 
them,  (for  their  nnmber  increased  daily,)  he 
gave  those  advices  from  time  to  time  which 
he  judged  most  needful  for  them  ;  and  they 
always  concluded  their  meeting  with  prayer 
suited  to  their  several  necessities. 

14.  What  is  a  Methodist  Society  f 

A  company  of  men  having  the  form  and 
seeking  the  power  of  godliness,  united  in 
order  to  pray  together,  to  receive  the  word 
of  exhortation,  and  to  watch  over  one  an- 
other in  love,  that  they  may  helj^  each  other 
to  loorlc  out  their  salvation. 

15.  That  this  may  more  easily  he  dis- 
cerned, how  is  each  Society  divided  f 

Into  classes  about  twelve  to  each  class, 
one  of  whom  is  styled  tiie  leader ;  who  is  to 
meet  them  once  a  week  for  religious  inquiry 
and  conversation. 

16.  ^Vhat  is  previously  required  of  those 
who  desire  admission  to  these  Societies  f 

Only  one  condition — a  desire  to  flee  from 


134      WESLEY    AND   EARLY   METHODISM. 

the  wratli  to  come,  and  to  be  saved  from 
their  sios.  But  wherever  this  is  really  fixed 
in  the  sonl,  it  will  be  shown  by  its  fruits. 

17.  How  is  this  desire  of  salvation  to  he 
shoicn  first  f 

By  doing  no  harm,  by  avoiding  evil  of 
every  kind,  especially  that  which  is  most 
generally  practiced  ;  such  as, 

1.)  The  taking  the  name  of  God  in  vain. 

2.)  The  profaning  the  day  of  the  Lord, 
either  by  doing  ordinary  work  therein,  or  by 
buying  or  selling. 

3.)  Drunkenness,  buying  or  selling  spirit- 
uous liquors,  or  drinking  them,  unless  in 
cases  of  extreme  necessity. 

4.)  Slaveholding ;  buying  or  selling  slaves. 

5.)  Fighting,  quarreling,  brawling,  brother 
going  to  law  with  brother ;  returning  evil 
for  evil,  or  railing  for  railing;  the  using 
many  words  in  buying  or  selling. 

6.)  The  buying  or  selling  goods  that  have 
not  paid  the  duty. 

7.)  The  giving  or  taking  things  on  usury, 
that  is,  unlawful  interest. 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.       135 

8.)  Uncharitable  or  unprofitable  conver- 
sation ;  particularly  speaking  evil  of  magis- 
trates or  of  ministers. 

9.)  Doing  to  others  as  we  would  not  they 
should  do  unto  us. 

10.)  Doing  what  we  know  is  not  for  the 
glory  of  God ;  as, — the  putting  on  of  gold 
and  costly  apparel. 

11.)  The  taking  such  diversions  as  cannot 
be  used  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

12.)  The  singing  those  songs,  or  reading 
those  books,  which  do  not  tend  to  the  knowl- 
edge or  love  of  God. 

13.)  Softness  and  needless  self-indulgence. 

14.)  Laying  up  treasure  npon  earth. 

15.)  Borrowing  without  a  probability  of 
paying ;  or  taking  up  goods  without  a  prob- 
ability of  paying  for  them. 

18.  How  is  this  desire  of  salvation  to  he 
sJiown  secondly  f 

By  doing  good ;  by  being  in  every  kind 
merciful  after  their  power ;  as  they  have 
opportunity,  doing  good  of  every  possible 
sort,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  to  all  men : 


136       WESLEY  AND  EARLY  METHODISM. 

1.)  To  their  hodies  of  the  ability  wliich 
God  givetli,  by  giving  food  to  the  hungry, 
by  clothing  the  naked,  by  visiting  or  help- 
ing, them  that  are  sick  or  in  prison. 

2.)  To  their  souls,  by  instructing,  reprov- 
ing, or  exhorting  all  we  have  any  intercourse 
with;  trampling  under  foot  that  enthusias- 
tic doctrine,  that  "  we  are  not  to  do  good 
unless  our  hearts  he  free  to  itP 

3.)  By  doing  good,  especially  to  them 
that  are  of  the  household  of  faith,  or  groan- 
ing so  to  be  ;  employing  them  preferably  to 
others,  buying  one  of  another,  helping  each 
other  in  business  ;  and  so  much  the  more 
because  the  world  will  love  its  own  and 
them  only, 

4.)  By  all  possible  diligence  and  frugal^ 
ity^  that  the  Gospel  be  not  blamed. 

5.)  By  running  with  patience  the  race 
which  is  set  before  them,  denying  them- 
selves^ and  taking  up  their  cross  daily  ;  sub- 
mitting to  bear  the  reproach  of  Christ,  to 
be  as  the  filth  and  offscouring  of  the  world  ; 
and  looking  that  men  should  say  all  man- 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.       137 

iier  of  evil  of  them  falsely  for  the  Lord  '5 
sake. 

19.  How  is  this  desire  for  salvation  to  he 
shown  thirdly  f 

By  attending  upon  all  the  ordinances  of 
God ;  such  are, 

1.)  The  public  worship  of  God. 

2.)  The  ministry  of  the  word,  either  read 
or  expounded. 

3.)  The  Supper  of  the  Lord. 

4.)  Family  and  private  prayer. 

5.)  Searching  the  Scriptures. 

6.)  Fasting  or  abstinence. 


138      WESLEY   AND   EAELY   METHODISM. 


BAPTISMAL  AND   CHURCH   COVE- 
NANTS. 


20.  What  are  the  conditions  of  mem- 
hership  into  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  f 

In  order  to  prevent  improper  persons 
from  insinuating  themselves  into  the 
Chnrch, — 

Let  no  one  be  received  into  the  Chnrch 
nntil  such  person  has  been  at  least  six 
months  on  trial,  and  has  been  recommended 
by  the  Leaders  and  Stewards'  Meeting,  and 
has  been  baptized,  and  shall,  on  examina- 
tion by  the,  minister  in  charge  before  the 
Church,  give  satisfactory  assurances  both  of 
the  correctness  of  his  faith  and  of  his  wil- 
lingness to  observe  and  keep  tlie  rules  of 
tlie  CI  lurch.  Nevertlieless,  if  a  meml)er  in 
good  standing  in  any  other  orthodox  Church 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.       139 

sliall  desire  to  unite  with  us,  siicli  applicant 
may,  by  giving  satisfactory  answers  to  the 
usual  inquiries,  be  received  at  once  into  full 
fellowship. 

21.  In  order  to  he  more  exact  in  receiving 
and  excluding  members,  what  is  done  f 

The  preacher  in  charge  shall,  at  every 
Quarterly  Meeting,  read  the  names  of  those 
that  are  received  into  the  Church,  and  also 
those  that  are  excluded  therefrom. 

22.  What  is  meant  hy  probationers  f 
Probationers  are  those  who   have  made 

application  for  membership — their  names 
are  enrolled  on  the  class  books  and  on  the 
records  of  the  Church  as  probationers. 
They  have  all  the  privileges  of  the  various 
means  of  grace,  and  at  the  end  of  six 
months,  having  acquainted  themselves  with 
the  Discipline  of  the  Chnrcli  and  with  its 
doctrines,  and  the  Church  having  become 
acquainted  with  the  life  and  habits  of  tlie 
candidates,  if  approved,  they  are  recom- 
mended by  tlie  leaders'  meetings  to  be  re- 
ceived into  full  connection. 


14:0       WESLEY    AND    EARLY   METHODISM. 

23.  What  do  they  do  if  they  desire  ad- 
mission at  the  end  of  their  probation? 

They  come  before  flie  Church,  answer 
l)efore  the  congregation  questions  touching 
their  faith  and  their  approval  of  the  econ- 
omy of  the  Chm-ch,  and  are  then  received 
by  a  simple  yet  solemn  ceremony  into  full 
membership. 

24.  How  may  the  haptismal  vow  he  sum- 
marized f 

In  three  words,  namely,  1.)  Renuncia- 
tion.    2.)  Faith,     3.)  Obedience, 

25.  Eej)eat  the  first  jpart  of  the  hajptis- 
mal  vow. 

Renunciation, — I  renounce  the  devil  and 
all  his  works,  the  vain  pomp  and  glory  of 
tlie  world,  with  all  covetous  desires  of  the 
same,  and  the  carnal  desires  of  the  flesh,  so 
tliat  I  will  not  follow  nor  be  led  by  them. 

26.  Repeat  the  second  part  of  the  'baptis- 
mal vow. 

Faith. — I  believe  in  God  the  Father 
Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  and 
in  Jesus  Christ  his  only-begotten  Son  our 


WESLEY    AND    EARLY    METHODISM.       141 

Lord ;  who  was  conceived  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  born  of  the  Yirgm  Mary,  suffered 
under  Pontius  Pilate,  was  crucilied,  dead 
and  buried ;  the  third  day  he  rose  again 
from  the  dead,  and  ascended  into  heaven, 
and  sitteth  on  the  right  liand  of  God  the 
Father  Almighty;  and  from  thence  shall 
come  again  at  the  end  of  the  world,  to  judge 
the  quick  and  the  dead. 

I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  holy 
catholic  [or  universal]  Church,  the  com- 
munion of  saints,  the  remission  of  sins,  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  and  everlasting 
life  after  death. 

27.  Give  the  third  part. 

Oledience. — I  will  obediently  keep  God's 
holy  will  and  commandments,  and  will  walk 
in  the  same  all  the  days  of  my  life,  God 
being  my  helper. 

28.  Repeat  the  Church  covenant. 

Here,  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of  this 
congregation,  I  renew  the  solemn  promise 
contained  in  the  baptismal  covenant,  ratify- 
ing and  confirming  the  same,  and  acknowl- 


142       WESLEY    AND    EAELY    METHODISM. 

edging  myself  bound  faitlifullj  to  observe 
and  keep  it.  I  here  profess  saving  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  believe  in  the 
doctrines  of  Holy  Scripture,  as  set  forth  in 
the  Articles  of  Eeligion  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  I  will  cheerfully  be 
governed  by  the  rules  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  hold  sacred  the  ordi- 
nances of  God,  and  endeavor,  as  much  as 
in  me  lies,  to  promote  the  welfare  of  my 
brethren  and  the  advancement  of  the  Ee- 
deemer's  kingdom.  I  will  contribute  of 
my  earthly  substance,  according  to  my  abil- 
ity, to  the  supjDort  of  the  Gospel  and  the 
various  benevolent  enterprises  of  the 
Church. 

29.  What  are  the  regular  Benevolent  Col- 
lections of  the  Church  f 

There  are  seven :  1.)  Missions.  2.)  Su- 
perannuated Preachers.  3.)  Church  Exten- 
sion. 4.)  Sunday-School  Union.  5.)  Tract 
Society.  6.)  Freedmen's  Aid.  7.)  Educa- 
tion. 


